In Ri'Oth She Waits
by Ace A
Summary: What if Buffy didn't go to heaven when she fell from Glory's tower? And are her friends willing to follow her? (Prologue's a bit iffy, but quite short)
1. Prologue: The Tower

Disclaimer: These characters and the world of Buffy The Vampire Slayer are the property of Joss Whedon.  
  
Note: This story contains some description of graphic violence.  
  
Ri'Oth  
  
Prologue: The Tower  
  
As two black-clad figures faced one another atop the steel tower, two titans, a god and a champion wielding the weapon of a god, waged in unholy conflict amid chaos below, the outcome of which would decide the fate of every soul on Earth. The Slayer was Earth's champion this night. She fought like it.  
  
Atop the complex of metal sinew, a soulless creature of the night protected an innocent from the blade of another; The Worshipper of the Beast. Suddenly the black-eyed demon struck with speed such that the impassioned vampire was unable to defend himself.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The girl swung again with the massive war-hammer, and for the first time, a god bled. And bled. And resisted no longer as the Slayer struck again and again caving in Glory's immortal features. Suddenly those features shifted into the face of a man who chose he only path he believed led to life. Ben coughed up a lungful of blood as Buffy ceased her onslaught. From that battered face came the words "I'm sorry". Her expression neutral, her voice anything but, Buffy responded,  
"Tell her its over. Glory had her shot and she blew it. If she-"  
"No", Ben choked, "its not over Buffy, I'm so sorry. If – if the bloodletting happens! The Door! It won't close, not until-". His own gag cut him short. "Just... my room – behind the painting. Its all... Save her, Buffy!" She dropped the hammer and ran towards the tower.  
  
Ben was aware of someone else. The Watcher crouched beside him. "Can you move?" he asked.  
"Need... a minute", replied the intern. "She, she could have killed me". Giles replaced his glasses while explaining how Buffy could never do such a thing, and how Glory would make her pay for her mercy.  
"She's a hero, you see? Not like us". Rupert Giles never blinked while he smothered the helpless man with one hand.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Doc swept Spike's legs and held up his beaten opponent to face Dawn, a look of horror on Spike's face before he was casually flung from the hundred feet tall structure.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy never paused to see the figure fly down as she scaled Glory's Tower faster than any other human possibly could. She arrived at the top to see a suit-wearing man facing her sister. She nonchalantly dispatched him from the structure, to see Dawn, bleeding. Untying her sister, Buffy didn't notice as the drops of blood hang in mid-air, forming a small whole in the sky. Both sisters however, saw the portal grow as lightning spewed forth in all directions.  
  
From far below, a surrogate father, two best friends and their lovers came to the realisation that the world was about to be undone. They never heard the young girl's pleas that she be allowed to die to save them.  
  
"Buffy" pleaded Dawn, "you have to let me go. The blood's started and until the blood stops flowing it will never stop". Images crowded Buffy's thoughts. Visions of Spike and The First Slayer and of Dawn. Summers' blood. Dawn was crying, "You know you have to let me go." Buffy turned to face the end of the platform. The way was lit. She saw it, as did Dawn. "Buffy, no."  
  
"I have to." She turned to Dawn. "Honey, there's not enough time, listen." She gave Dawn her last words of love as the sky around was consumed in fire and lightning, emanating from the ever-expanding Gateway. Turning, the Slayer ran toward the light, leaping from the tower, and was gone from this world. 


	2. Monotony

Chapter 1: Monotony  
  
The sun was shining; the day was glorious. But, then again the sun always shone in Sunnydale. Not that it made much difference to the Watcher. Ex- Watcher. He was indoors in his apartment studying the large bound text that they had found in Ben's apartment. It was behind the painting as Buffy had told Dawn to look. The night she died.  
  
It was a Tuesday, so business would be slow. Regardless, the shop would be safe in Anya's hands. She had proven herself to be a more than capable shopkeeper. He felt a twinge of pride at her progress. Then he felt pain, and guilt. He had felt pride at Buffy's progress for five years, and still she had died, doing what she had been chosen to do. He had been naïve, no, arrogant to believe his Slayer would live long enough to retire. "You couldn't even get her to her 21st birthday" he berated himself aloud. "The least you could do is translate this damn book for her." His tone was self- accusatory. He sighed. For three months he had tried to make some sense of one of the many bound pages, especially those booked marked pages. Book marked presumably by the man he had killed. He had had little success.  
  
Holding the book in his hands it looked no different from any other ancient volume he had in his apartment. Brown leather-bound with crinkly, yellow pages, it did not seem spectacular. Nor did the text. But, it was IN ENGLISH. From a cursory glance, Giles could surmise that the book outdated the English language by some years.  
  
Willow and the others had confirmed however that it was written in English. The only drawback was that you couldn't read it. Try as you might, it could not be read. It seemed somehow veiled to human eyes – and inhuman. Spike could not read it either.  
  
Tara and Willow had tried every release and unveiling spell of which either witch had knowledge. Despite their great aptitude and talents for magic, they had yet to achieve any positive results.  
  
Still, he had to try. The damn book was so bloody infuriating! Even if he didn't know a language, he could read another book and translate it. But this – this was right there, in his mother tongue and he couldn't read a word of it, save the title on the cover. It was Latin and read 'Texts of Knowledge'. Oh, that was helpful. Not for the first time he wondered at the peculiarity of a book with a Latin title but with English text as he rooted through a chest. Prying free his prize, a Latin volume titled 'Unveiling The Truth', he set about his task at a trudging pace.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dawn was bored. She had come straight to the Magic Box right after school, in hopes of finding the gang. But Xander was still at work, Giles researching at home, the Wicca pair at college and Spike... well; she hadn't expected to find Spike here anyway. What she had expected was Anya putting her to work sweeping the floor, which she had while she counted money at the till. Dawn didn't like being alone. Not since the night Buffy had... died.  
  
Attempting to escape her designated chore, Dawn tried to manoeuvre Anya into teaching her how to use the till. She was successful, the ex-vengeance demon more than happy to show Dawn the workings of the tool that helped 'store and accumulate cash'.  
  
"You see, Dawnie", Anya beamed, presenting the full till to Dawn. "Cash is the most liquid asset there is. Without cash, a capitalist system like ours wouldn't work. And then we'd be back to bartering hogsheads of mead for plain old hogsheads. Dawn smiled, nodding. Anya was very nice but she was just a little too enamoured with attaining monetary wealth.  
  
The lecture was broken by the arrival of a customer, who Dawn silently praised. Anya went to assist the elderly woman after quickly telling Dawn to "closely watch the customer-shopkeeper interaction". As Anya engaged in conversation with the woman, Dawn quickly reached beneath the counter, into the display case and took a small little blue trinket with little jagged edges, which she promptly hid inside her back pocket.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
That night, Tara was watching Dawn at Giles' apartment as he, Willow, Xander, Spike and the BuffyBot patrolled. "I don't get why we have to be here", complained Dawn. "I mean, have you seen the size of Giles' T.V? There's nothing to do here. Its so blah." Tara couldn't help but smile at Dawn's irritation and tried to soften the blow.  
"Well, I think I saw an old Parcheesi upstairs, Sweety. Except, it was called 'Libido' or something." Tara smiled again and Dawn couldn't help but reciprocate. "Great, I'll just go get it", said Tara.  
  
As Tara foraged upstairs Dawn found herself aimlessly wandering Giles' apartment. She walked into his study and looked at the open book on his desk. The book Buffy had told her where to find. She knew she couldn't read it, so instead she pulled the little tin trinket she had taken from the shop earlier today. She stared at it. It was a dull blue, not even pretty. But she had taken it.  
  
Lost in her own thoughts, Dawn was startled by Tara's voice right outside the study. She quickly gripped the trinket in her palm, suppressing a little whimper as she pricked herself; a tiny little trickle of blood running down her palm went unnoticed. "I have the game set up, Sweety. But I get to be 'blue', okay?" Relief washed over Dawn as she realised Tara hadn't noticed she was holding anything and she quickly replaced the little trinket back in her pocket as soon as the opportunity arose. She hadn't seen the miniscule drop of blood fall to the open book.  
  
"Any slayage?" asked Dawn as Giles and the others returned, looking rather worn out from patrol.  
"Yes, you might say that", wheezed Giles as he moved his hand to the torn sleeve of his jacket. In his other hand, he held a wicked looking half-moon ax, which seemed very dirty.  
"GrandPa Watcher had himself an encounter with a vamp", mocked Spike "a very big, thick necked vamp."  
"I damn-well killed him, didn't I" said an exasperated Giles matter-of-factly. Spike raised an eyebrow.  
"Well, you know what they say, 'Third hack lucky'. Least you got one. Bob the Builder here nearly had a heart-attack trying to keep up with the other one", said Spike indicating Xander, whose hands were on his knees, as he gasped for breath. He mouthed something back at Spike, but the just shook his head and continued panting.  
  
"I think it went swell, Spike killed the most vampires!", exclaimed a happy BuffyBot. Dawn frowned inwardly. Every time she saw the BuffyBot it was a painful reminder that her sister was gone. But she understood the need for the demon-underworld to believe that the Slayer still patrolled Sunnydale and The Hellmouth.  
"Yeah, great. Whatever," muttered an unhappy Spike. "Now, tell me Watcher. Why is it we're all here? We've all got homes to go to." Willow and Tara both gave Spike disapproving looks. Giles replied indignantly,  
"Actually, Spike, I don't seem to recall inviting you here at all." Spike shrugged, taking a drag from his cigarette and replied  
"Well, you know, got to try to keep up with current affairs. Know what I mean?"  
  
Giles turned go upstairs and at least change his shirt before he revealed why he had gathered them here. He wondered how they'd react to his decision to return home to England. As he headed up the stairs he heard Spike ask "Any blood in the fridge?" He chose not to acknowledge the question.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow's arm around her shoulders, Tara asked if she had had any problems while patrolling, but was answered by Anya's exclamation of "Problems? Are you nuts? The evil fiends were running away from her!" Anya nodded frantically; eyes wide open. "She was dusting vamps with friggin' fireballs! Right, Xander?" Xander coughed and gave a thumbs up. Tara turned to Willow, a concerned look on her face.  
"R-really? You were okay doing that?" Willow seemed a little embarrassed by the attention she was receiving.  
"It was nothing really" she tried to reassure Tara. "Just a minor Khaarghian flame spell. Nothing special." Tara made a quick grin and asked,  
"Was it, um, extra-flamey?" Willow seemed momentarily shocked but then remembered that nobody else in the room knew what Tara was talking about. With an ear-to-ear grin Willow said, "Sure was."  
"What does she mean 'extra-flamey'?" asked Anya. "Is there a less flamey fireball you could have used?" Anya pulled at her jacket's sleeve and said to Willow "cause you singed my jacket! Xander, tell her!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Spike found no blood in Giles' kitchen, but discovered a brandy-bottle in the cabinet. The Bot entered as he poured himself a glass. "Hey, Spike", she said in a cheery tone. "What's that you're drinking?" Spike muttered the answer under his breath, not really caring whether or not she heard. "Brandy? Yep, you like brandy. And Buffy, too", grinned the Bot as Spike grimaced in mental anguish. "How come you don't like to do stuff anymore? I find you very attractive. Spike glared angrily, downing the glass.  
"Listen Bot, alright? Red fixed you to stop all that, so bloody stop it!" Spike was leaving the kitchen as she asked why. In the living room, he informed Willow of the Bot's malfunction before grumpily flinging himself onto the nearest couch.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Upstairs, Giles in fresh clothes was readying for the unpleasant task at hand. He had been Buffy's Watcher. With her gone, it was time for him to step out of the way and allow the others to lead their own lives. "Alright, Rupert. Steady on", he thought to himself aloud. At the bottom of the stairs he dared a peek into the living room and decided he could use a drink first. Finding the brandy in the kitchen empty, he headed for his study and the scotch he kept there. Reaching above his desk he took the bottle and filled a glass.  
  
Taking a drink, Giles looked at the damn book on the table. He would be taking it with him back to England. Perhaps The Council could – "Oh, my god", he managed to utter as he looked at the page. 


	3. Preparation

Chapter 2: Preparation  
  
"But I don't get it", said Xander. "If blood was the key to reading that mumbo-jumbo, how come it didn't work that time... you know, when I... had that nosebleed?"  
"And sneezed all over my bloody living room – and me?" added Giles.  
"Well yeah, but – hey! 'Bloody living room'? Hey everyone, Giles made a funny. You go English!" The two Wicca couldn't help but grin at Xander's remark but motioned for Giles to continue, who brought to their attention the first book marked page, which he read aloud. "... 'And the essence of The Key shall unlock and open all doors'". Xander's face wrinkled in consternation and Tara asked  
"But if the key was blood, why didn't Xander's blood work?" But Willow exclaimed, "Higher case 'K'!"  
"Ahh, did I just turn over two pages at once?" asked Xander. Giles explained.  
"Xander, 'The Key' is written in higher case, meaning it refers"-  
"To me", sadly finished Dawn.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"But what was 'the essence of The Key'?" mused Giles. Spike looked at Dawn.  
"Raise your left hand, Little Bit. Palm out", he instructed. Dawn didn't understand the request but did as she was asked. A tiny knick was barely visible on her palm, where she had earlier accidentally cut herself with the cheap trinket. "Blood. Her blood", said Spike to Giles nodding at Dawn. Perplexed, Dawn started  
"I didn't even"-  
"Smelled it", explained Spike. "Why I thought Rupert here got in some fresh blood." Dawn looked at the tiny cut. She would never have noticed it. "Now that's out of the way, Mr. Watcher, if you would?"  
"Oh?" said Giles. "Yes, of course."  
  
Giles continued to read aloud the book marked pages, revealing how the Book was in fact in a language known only to the gods and the highest order of demons. How the words of the book shaped themselves to the eye of the reader, but could only be unlocked for a non-deity with The Key. The leather binder was also not its original cover, as the Book was actually called 'The Nature And Prophecy Of Ri'Oth'.  
  
Further reading revealed 'Ri'oth' to be Glory's home dimension. Giles stopped at one particular section. Reading aloud, he said "'Those of mortal coil who worship the god Estyarth and abhor the goddess Glorificus are named The Knights Of Byzantium'." Giles trailed off.  
"Then-", began a stunned Willow.  
"Those poxy bastards!" grimaced Spike, as Xander looked to Anya, shock evident on both their faces. Giles resumed speaking.  
"'...and when their tasks are performed to the satisfaction of their master, to Ri'Oth will Estyarth take them, and in doing so they will become his highest order of demon guard and destroy the Chaos Legions of the god Deetai. Thus, will their master rule all worlds, for so whoever rules Ri'Oth will be unrivalled in all planes'." Giles stopped and read to himself for a moment, his eyes widening. He sat back, the beginnings of a smile on his face.  
"What is it?" asked Dawn as Willow read the page, her gasp punctuating the question.  
"Buffy" breathed Willow.  
"She's alive, Dawn", said Giles hopefully. "Buffy's alive." As everyone sat in stunned silence, the BuffyBot said,  
"Of course I'm alive. I'm right here."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
A half-hour later, as Willow and Tara raised the earth with a spell, Spike and Xander pulled the lid off the coffin to reveal Buffy's body, whole and untouched by decay, in a state of calm repose. "Bolloxed if I didn't believe you, Watcher", Spike said nearly crying, "but you're right."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The next four days were spent discovering new information and with it, new questions, as Giles and Willow, and sometimes Tara, tore through the Book gathering all the knowledge they could.  
  
"So what you're saying" asked Xander who was leaning on the counter in the Magic Box "is that when someone from another dimension goes to Ri'Oth, only their spirit goes and their body goes into some kind of hibernation?" Before Tara could answer Anya said.  
"Its not uncommon to do that. When you're searching the spiritual planes or the ether, your spirit sometimes leaves your body. But its really dangerous if you're human". She stopped as she finished gift- wrapping a crystal ball and turned to the customer. "Thank you for shopping at the Magic Box. Pease come again for future purchases."  
"Yes", said Tara. A demonic spirit doesn't belong in the ether or on the spiritual planes, so it will just go back to its body. B-but a human soul belongs there, so you need another person to act as an anchor to bring you back. Willow and I did it once".  
"Now, when you say 'did it'" began Xander, who stopped when he got a raised eyebrow in return. "What?"  
  
"Okay", replied Xander, "but how could 'The Knights of Bicentennial' be demons like it says in the Book?" he asked as Willow entered the shop, a pouty expression on her face. "Ah, so Giles finally managed to pry you away from the Book", he said to her. "He must have used his really big axe". Willow gave Xander a dark look, but he just grinned even wider.  
  
Tara moved to Willow, and after kissing her, reiterated Xander's question. "That's what I just figured out", she began in unhappy tones, "when Giles was all like 'Willow, you've been up all night, perhaps you should get some rest'", she said in imitation of his English accent. "Does this face look tired to you?" she said, pointing to her face. "Nuh-Uh!"  
"Ah, Will", said Xander, "the question?"  
  
"Anyway", began Willow explaining "Ri'Oth's not like any other dimension, where you stay the same once you go through. Even the darkest dimensions like Quortoth and Acathla's hell-dimension leave you the same being as when you went in. But every thing and one in Ri'Oth is part of it."  
"So, if The Knights of Byzantium entered Ri'Oth, they would become part of it?" said Anya from the till.  
"You mean", said Tara, "you mean they would become demons?" Willow nodded.  
"But that would mean... Buffy-", said Xander.  
"Is now a demon", finished Willow.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The Scoobies all gathered in the Summers' house that night, as Giles insisted they were destroying his carpeting.  
  
While the news that Buffy, if still alive in Ri'Oth, was a demon was disturbing, relief was evident in Giles' voice when he said "But should we somehow return Buffy to Earth, her spirit would return to her own body, and she would once again be... Buffy, he finished.  
"Then we have to get her back!" said Dawn fiercely.  
"Of course, Dawn" said Giles. "But the question is how we are to accomplish that. I have discovered-." Willow coughed. "I mean Willow and I have-." Willow coughed again. Giles looked to Willow and continued. "I mean that Willow, Tara and I have discovered a means of travel to and from Ri'Oth. The only problem..."  
"What is it?" asked Dawn.  
"Dawn, you must understand-."  
"What is it?" she repeated.  
"Dawn, honey", began Tara.  
"What is it!?" she snapped. Willow looked to Giles who replied,  
"You, Dawn."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"But if I can go to Ri'Oth at any time" said Dawn "and take you with me, why did Glory need that big ceremony on the tower? And why at that time?"  
"From all we've been able to gather from the Book" replied Giles "Glory's essence; her spirit, was so deeply embedded into her human body by the other two gods of Ri'Oth, that she couldn't remove herself from that body by any magical means. Her only way back to Ri'Oth was by physically walking through the Gateway, which was the purpose of the ritual; to create the Gateway.  
"However, by utilising an Orb of Opher, akin to the Orb of Thesula, a willing being's spirit can be removed from the body and temporarily placed into another, called The Vessel." Removing and wiping his glasses, Giles continued "In this case The Vessel would be you, Dawn. As The Key, you are native to all dimensions and barred from none. Having travelled to Ri'Oth, you would then release the spirits of those accompanying you, and they will take form."  
"Demon form?" asked Dawn.  
"Yes" replied the Watcher. "I'm not going to deceive you, Dawn. It will not be easy." She nodded determinedly.  
"That's been itching me," said Xander. "When you say 'demon form', what do you mean? Vampires?"  
"It all depends on the person," replied Willow. "One person might become a sprite, while another might become a Polgara demon, who would immediately try to eat the sprite. Which kind of presents a problem."  
"You think?" said Xander, eyebrows raised. "Isn't there some kind of spell you could do to, y'know, keep us human?" Willow shook her head.  
"It wouldn't be possible. Not in Ri'Oth. Besides, it's a moot point, because if we human we'd probably be the natural prey of almost every single creature in the dimension. Kinda like a sandwich in a room full of guys."  
  
Xander excused himself to go make a sandwich, muttering something about 'suggestive control'. Tara took up the story when he returned. "Willow and I can hex you all with a curse called 'An Céasadh de Cuimhne'. It's a Gaelic spell meaning 'The Torment of Memory'. Xander looked appalled.  
"Wait a minute! Curse; hex! Torment! These are words Xander no like".  
"Oh, I love that one" chimed Anya. "I once used it on a guy in Waterford who was unfaithful to his girlfriend."  
"What did you do?" asked Tara curiously.  
"I made him relive the night he was unfaithful over and over again." Seeing incomprehension on everyone's faces, she partially covered her mouth with her cupped hand and whispered loud enough to be heard next door "He didn't perform." Tara's eyebrows raised and she mouthed 'Oooh...' Dawn was looking around, confused at the silence and said  
"What?"  
  
Frowning at Anya's reminiscing, Willow said, "The curse was normally used to punish somebody by forcing them to constantly remember or relive an event of their life that they'd prefer never happened. We're going to alter the spell so that the cursed will be forced to recall everything that happened in their lives, so when we take demon form, we will remember who we are."  
"Wait a minute", interjected Tara, "y-you're, you're not going Willow, a-are you?" Clutching Tara's hand in her own, Willow said  
"I have to, Tara." Before Tara could object, Willow said, "They'll need someone who understands magic, baby." Tara's features creased in total concern. "You and Giles can handle the ritual and the curse." Seeing Tara yield, Willow hugged her, but Tara still looked pensive. Giles removed his glasses,  
"Now wait just a minute, Willow." Willow interrupted.  
"Giles, please! With me going and Tara performing the hex, you're the only one of us who'll be able to perform the ritual, and you know it!" Willow spoke with uncharacteristic heat. Giles punched the table.  
"Damnit it, I know!" shouted Giles. He sighed and replaced his glasses. "But that doesn't mean I have to bloody like it", he said tiredly.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Our major priority is to protect Dawn" Willow said to Spike, Xander and Anya, who refused to let Xander go without her. All agreed, save Anya who thought their first priority should be to Xander safe, but eventually relented. "We have to be sure Dawn is safe before even try to find Buffy."  
"You'll get no argument from me love" replied Spike.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow had instructed Tara in the basic repair of the BuffyBot, Xander had gotten time off of work and they had gotten the Bot to ring up the school saying Dawn was ill and would be absent for a short while.  
  
Giles instructed them that leaving Ri'Oth would be much simpler than actually getting there. All they had to do was be within Dawn's aura when she returned, and their spirits would returns to their own bodies. No one was clear on how long it might take them to find Buffy, but Giles and Anya told them that most demons dimensions run slower than Earth's time, so if it took them a week to find Buffy, they might actually return on the same day as the left.  
  
Willow gave Tara some last minute advice on the Bot's maintenance with a hug. Dawn hugged Tara and Giles as well. "Be careful, Dawn" he whispered to her as the hugged. When he released her he was all business. "Alright, Xander, Willow, Anya and" he hesitated, "Spike, if you would?" Giles objected to Spike going, as in Ri'Oth, there would be no chip tp restrain him. Giles honestly did not think Spike would hurt Dawn, but why take such a risk? Dawn, however, had insisted on his accompanying them.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Giles motioned for the four to link hands. He began 'The Ritual Of Opher' even as Tara started mouthing the chant that brought about 'The Torment of Memory'. "Those who have duly chosen," he began "to join with the vessel," he raised up the grey orb in his left hand Eyes blind and hearts trusting," the four closed their eyes and raised up their linked hands on unison, "free of will and judgement." He stopped and began pouring sand over the Orb with his right hand, and caught as much as he could beneath the Orb, only to pour it again. This he did until his hand was bare. The indigo orb lost all colour, and seemed to dull, then darken the area around it.  
  
Suddenly, in some corruption of Latin, Giles intoned "Satei Nei! Ensta Nei!" Then calmly to the four he asked, "Say ye yea, or nea?" As one, the four replied 'yea' and they room darkened further. With his free hand, Giles motioned for Dawn to stand beside him. Giles' left hand was now no longer visible, the room itself losing all illumination. Now only four faint lights were visible, seemingly hovering over the Orb. Without warning, they simultaneously shot at the Orb, spiralling into it. It illuminated the room as Tara clapped her hands, saying  
"Anois!" The light of the Orb momentarily paled.  
  
Willow and the others were lying on the ground as Giles turned to Dawn, the Orb in his outstretched hand. Tara smiled reassuringly at Dawn, and said "Don't worry, sweety. Just do what Mr. Giles told you." That had been to blank her mind, think about nothing – easier said than done thought Dawn. How could you think about nothing?  
  
Reverently, Giles proclaimed "The Vessel", and Dawn felt... nothing. But she realised she could sense Xander and the others in the room, almost, as if standing over her shoulder. It was very disconcerting, but reassuring in an odd way. She realised Giles was on the floor; unconscious, and quickly knelt beside him. Dawn looked to Tara.  
"Don't w-worry D-Dawn, she began, "Mr. Giles told me this might happen. Its not an easy ritual to do. He's just exhausted, he'll be alright in a few minutes." Dawn nodded. Now, for the really hard part, thought Tara.  
  
"Okay, Dawn? Remember Willow and me showing you the part in the book about 'Travelling'?  
"Yeah, it was a real head-wrecker," winced Dawn. "Now, I guess?" Tara nodded and gripped Dawn's hand. "'Kay, here goes nothing." Dawn closed her eyes. She thought about a road: a grey road of nothingness. A void of zero, yet infinite distance, and probed, searched with a sense she didn't know she had. Her one thought 'Buffy'. Suddenly, instead of the void was a sliver of light she knew was Ri'Oth. She reached for it, across universes.  
  
Tara caught herself as she nearly fell. Dawn was gone. Giles sat up. "Lord, help them," he breathed, as Tara knelt and held Willow's hand. 


	4. Arrival

Chapter 3: Arrival  
  
There was mist; green mist with an almost solid feel to it, like jelly. The green glow faded, and it was normal, albeit very thick mist. She thought that she might have something to do. What was it? How odd, the mist parted when she looked at it. Very strange. Presently she remembered something; her first memory. Someone was hugging her. Her sister. Buffy. She remembered crying when she was taken away from her. She remembered Mom, the guys. The guys!  
  
Quickly, she recited, "Those who duly choose, be free of the Vessel." Immediately, she felt the presence of Willow, Spike, Anya and Xander near her. But what she saw bemused her. Where Anya should've been was a short, veiny grey skinned demon with small horns and clawed hands. Where Xander should've stood crouched a hugely muscled, charcoal-skinned beast with massive antlers and cloven hands and feet. Confused she turned to Spike and was faced with... Spike. Normal Spike.  
"You alright, Little Bit?" he quickly asked with genuine concern. He looked behind Dawn. "What the soddin' hell are those?"  
  
The short, horned figure stood up and asked "Dawn, are you okay?" in Anya's voice. "Where's Xander?"  
"Anya?" asked Dawn and Spike together. The demon put her hands on her hips.  
"Of course! Where's Xander? Xander?" she called. A huge cloven hand came to rest on her shoulder as the antlered demon stood next to her. The antlered and horned demons looked at each other and simultaneously screamed. "Xander?" asked the short demon. Ceasing his wail, the larger demon said  
"An? What? Where? What?" Then he looked down at his own body and was about to scream again, when he caught sight of Dawn and Spike. "Dawn, you're okay", he said as he ran to her in three huge strides, followed by the other. "Dawn? How come? What's going on?"  
  
Before she could answer he was whacked on the back. "That's for scaring me with your stupid scream, Xander Harris!" said Anya. "For crying out loud, we're demons, remember?"  
"Yeah", he nodded. "But what kind of demons are we? And where's Willow?" He was answered as a monstrous black shape stood over them. It was twenty-five feet tall with chasms for eyes and mouth, with huge outstretched wings stretching off into the mist. The creature opened its gaping maw.  
"Right here, guys," said Willow,"man, this is so weird!"  
"That's because you're a dread," shouted up Anya. "Your natural instinct is to devour our souls and burn our bodies to ash. Fun, isn't it?" But the figure quickly seemed to reduce in size until it was at par with Dawn. Then it shifted form, and was Willow.  
"Boy, that was freaky," she gasped "I felt like killing you all, except for-"  
"Spike?" asked Anya. At Willow's nod she said "You see, no soul; no food. Its quite fortunate you realised that as a dread, you can shapeshift. Otherwise, we were kind of in trouble."  
  
"What's going on?" asked Dawn. "How come you're all different, but Spike is still the same?"  
"Well, he's already a demon" said Willow. "Why become another one?"  
"Yeah, great," said Spike "but what about when the sun comes up?"  
"Oh, don't worry" said Anya, "Its not that vamps have a problem with sunlight, its that they have a problem with Earth's sunlight. You'll probably be fine."  
"'Probably', love?" said Spike. "Why am I not overcome with confidence at that?"  
"Um, yeah. All well and good," interrupted Xander. "But antlers?" He pointed to his head. "What's up with Anya and me?"  
"Well, I know what I am," said Anya. "This is great! I'm a Vengeance Demon," she said excitedly.  
"Why'a so excited, An?" asked Xander. "You were a vengeance demon for – like – a thousand years. I thought you'd want to be something else for a change? Plus; no humans equals no wishes."  
"No, not a normal old vengeance demon," she exclaimed, clapping her hands, "a Matriarch Vengeance Demon! If this were Arash-Mahal, I could make new vengeance demons the way D'Hoffryn does. Plus, watch." She too started to shift form, until she looked like Anya again.  
  
Xander stood there, looking at the others with molten silver eyes and said "This is way unfair! You all look normal and I look like Bambi's da-da! What kind of demon am I anyway?"  
"Chaos Demon" supplied Spike. "Damn ugly things. You're a bit bigger than the usual ones, different colour, too. And you're not as slimy either."  
"Oh gosh, thanks," Xander replied dryly. "So, now what?" he asked nobody in particular, as he towered over them.  
"We thought Dawn a way to sense Buffy," answered Willow. "It was in the Book. That's how she found Ri'Oth. Can you sense her now, Dawn?" she asked. "Is she nearby?"  
"She was here," said Dawn, who looked around, "she must have been so scared and lonely." She pointed. "That way. Buffy went that way."  
  
Without preamble, the five headed in the direction Dawn had pointed. They decided that should they encounter demons, that Xander, Anya and Spike should deal with them, and that Willow should stay back and protect Dawn. So, those three took point, but they were instantly presented with a problem. The mist was not moving, and had formed an opaque wall before them. Dawn and Willow came forward to investigate, and the mist gave way to the former's gaze. Something very odd was happening.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dawn now took point, flanked by Spike and Xander. After what felt like two hours of travel, the mist abruptly cleared. Before them lay a stygian landscape out of nightmare. Soot geysers spouted out black dust, and strange feathered creatures, resembling wing snakes fed off the rotting carcass of some immense beast, the pungent odour of which assaulted their nostrils.  
  
In the black, dusty sky raged shooting stars that seemed only hundreds of feet above their heads, and periodically fell to the landscape with rock- shattering crashes. Jagged peaks, most of them active volcanoes stabbed at the sky as far as the eye could see. Turning, they saw the mist was solid in a wall hundreds of feet tall, as far as they could see to the left or right. Rather than re-enter the eerie mist or brave the hell before them, they chose to hug the mist as long as they could, and headed right, in the direction where Dawn informed them she believed Buffy had gone.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They set up a makeshift camp for some rest, still beside the silent mist. The lands near the mist, however, had started to become less arid and severe. When the sun rose, and Spike very nervously dared a peak from beneath his jacket, Anya was proved correct. It didn't burn him. All they had were the clothes on their backs, and Dawn and Xander would eventually need food, as would Spike. Patrolling their camp, Xander asked Spike what Chaos demons normally ate. "Normally, whatever's handy," came the reply. "Even though, one time I knew a Chaos demon who just loved Taco Bell. Ate the stuff every day, he bloody did. As you can imagine, he wasn't a joy to be around when you're ofactarily gifted."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
After a few hours the next day, they finally left behind the bizarre mist, and continued on into the decreasingly desolate landscape, even finding a bush upon which grew strange sour berries, which Xander wolfed down. Dawn opted to decline them, as she said they smelled kind of like Doublemeat Palace food, of which she wasn't particularly fond. At the mention of a restaurant, Xander became even more ravenous and stripped the small shrub bare.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Later that day, Anya was explaining to Willow and Dawn why matriarch vengeance demons were so miuch better than patriarch vengeance demons when Spike called a halt and hissed "About five hundred yards ahead. Riders, nasty looking fellows headed this way." When asked how many, he replied "About ten of 'em. Sods look like Ankylan demons. Knew an Ankylan named Val Trepkos once. Now there's a bloke who could handle a fight." He turned to Anya. "You said that you had some spell or something to make Red and Bit look like yourself. Best use it." He looked to Willow and said "You two stay with Dawn. Doe-a-deer and me'll see what's what. As Xander complained at being called such a thing, Anya pondered to herself that there was something she was forgetting.  
  
The riders approached on armoured mounts Xander could tell were not horses. They were heavily set, sandy-skinned demons, with a crown-like crest of short horns on their heads that ran down their foreheads to their noses. They wore leather-like armour and carried sabres at their hilts. The head rider saluted Xander, palm raised facing out. "My lord", he said, a mixture of caution and confusion in his voice, "what brings a Chaos General, unmounted, this close to the Buntine Wastes with only an entourage of three retainers and-", he looked beside him to Spike.  
  
Anya snapped her fingers. "Now I remember. Spike, he's-"  
"A Vantal!" exclaimed the sergeant. "Kill or be killed!" Mayhem ensued as some of the rides began attacking as others tried to flee. Wondering what he had done to deserve this, Spike put on his game- face – and transformed. Every visible piece of skin on his body grew overlapping scarlet and gold scales, two huge blood-red crests protruded from the chin up his face to his forehead, and continued another foot and a half before ending in a pair of wicked points. Similar crests grew from his elbows. He laid scarlet and gold eyes on the Ankylans, and realised how hungry he was.  
  
Bounding twenty feet over the attacking Ankylans, Spike knocked from their mounts, two trying to flee, quickly tore out the throat of the first with a clawed hand, and impaled another on his elbow. Almost nonchalantly, he decapitated one attacking him from behind with his free elbow. "What madness is this, my lord?!" shouted the sergeant. "Fly, my lord! Fly!" He steered his mount toward Spike and raised his sabre aloft shouting "For the glory of Deetai!" Spike leaped up to him and carried him to the ground. The Ankylan tried vainly to fend him off as he was savagely mauled, but he abruptly stopped struggling. Spike then began to feed.  
  
With Spike satisfied and the sanguineous business over, he resumed his normal form, and observed the havoc he had wrought. Nine of the ten riders lay on the ground, and he had incidentally killed three of the mounts as well. Xander had recovered the surviving animals that hadn't run too far away. The others stood behind him, as he tentatively said, "Is that you, Spike? Are you with us again?"  
"What the bloody hell happened?" Spike asked as he liked at his destroyed clothing. They warily approached him, Xander brandishing one of the fallen Ankylans' sabres, as he said  
"An says you turned into a 'Vantal' or something. Anya?" Spike turned his attention to her, as she began to explain.  
  
"You see, in certain dimensions where there are little or no humans, vampires have adapted to feeding on demons instead of humans. Worlds like Harn and Pylea, and, I guess Ri'Oth too. But demons are a lot harder to kill than humans, so vamps evolved into Vantals. The main difference is rather than spending around five thousand years as a human-demon hybrid and then becoming a Master Vampire, that is, the demon who possessed the body, you can swap anytime you want between human and Master-form. That's what a Vantal is." Anya finished, feeling quite pleased with her explanation.  
  
Uncharacteristically, Spike had paid attention to the lecture, but said "The one downside being that I turn into a flaming lunatic every time I suit up", sardonically. Anya frowned.  
"Well, yeah. Normally that would be true, but with 'The Torment of Memory' hex on you, you shouldn't have gone feral even when you changed. I don't understand that."  
"No, you're right", said Spike. "I didn't go feral." The others looked at each other and Willow ventured,  
"Um, Spike. You did seem kinda, you know, feral."  
"No, Red. I mean I knew what I was doing. I was defending myself from those bloody plonkers. But as soon as I cut one open, I lost it. It was something... beyond bloodlust. I mean, I wasn't even that hungry before.  
"Hm," mused Anya, "it was probably just the shock of it for the first time. Maybe next time you'll be able to control it better. That, or you'll kill us all." Breaking the uncomfortable silence, Xander said  
"I managed to bring back five of those... horse- things, but one is lame so we'd better leave it. If the guy who got away comes back with buddies, I want to be very far away when it happens." 


	5. Sash Fortress

Chapter 4: Sash Fortress  
  
None of them had really ridden before, but the animals seemed docile enough at the relatively sedate pace at which they were moving. It had been two days since the encounter with the Ankylan riders, and they hadn't encountered anything else intelligent. Xander rode the largest mount, the one that had been the sergeant's. If the large beast had any problems supporting Xander's ten-foot frame, it didn't display them, though Xander's feet nearly touched the ground.  
  
Anya rode behind Xander, and Willow and Dawn doubled on the second-largest mount. The three alternated who got to ride alone every couple of hours. At the rear rode Spike, watching for signs of pursuit. It had taken a while for any of the spooked creatures to allow Spike near them, but they were well trained. Spike and Xander had settled into riding like those born to it, but the three girls hadn't ceased complaining since they acquired the animals, which truly were a blessing. On the first day, one of them led the party to a watering hole with bushes growing fruit that Dawn would eat. They had packed enough into a jacket to last her a week if she ate carefully. Xander himself hadn't felt hungry since he'd eaten those berries days before, and seemed to get by fine on a cupped handful of water.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Xander wondered at the command role that had fallen on him, he was surprised by it. But even more surprising was that he seemed to fill the role competently! He made a mental note to ask Willow or Anya about the effects of the demon-mantle he had assumed and the curse.  
  
He was broken out his of reverie by Spike near shouting "Riders trailing us! At least thirty." Xander could see thirty or so riders appearing on the hill they had just crested. "Come on! If I suit up I should be able to take out at least half of them and then-  
"Spike!" Xander broke in, "you ride on with Dawn and Willow. Anya, to me. I have an idea."  
"What? You just expect me to-"  
"Please just do it, Spike," groaned Xander. Probably only to protect Dawn, Spike did actually go. "Anya," Xander said, "you need to demon up." Without comment, she quickly resumed her demon form. As the riders neared, he counted thirty-one Ankylans: three groups plus the survivor from the first. He raised his left hand, palm out, like he'd seen the sergeant do before in salute, as the three sergeants approached with the survivor. All saluted.  
  
"My lord," began the first sergeant in an amazed tone, "we had report that a Chaos General was travelling with three retainers and was attacked by a Vantal." The sergeant looked to the survivor. "I scarcely believed any of it my lord, save 'til I saw the remains of the group that had been attacked. My lord, is... is all well?" Without preamble, Xander replied "All is well sergeant. I slew the Vantal. But I am most concerned that a soldier would desert his superior n the face of peril." Xander's tone was without emotion.  
  
The sergeant looked to his equals who promptly dismounted, dragged the survivor from his mount, and broke his neck. Xander winced inwardly, but without comment he said "I will require five fresh mounts and supplies, sergeant." The sergeant nodded and selected the five best mounts among the thirty-one. All three sergeants gave their animals. The supplies were placed on the fifth. "Good" was Xander's only reaction, as he remounted on a new animal he overheard was called a 'krus'. "Remain here. My retainer will return shortly with our old krus." He held up his palm.  
  
All three sergeants raised their palms, the first saying "Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord." Without further comment Xander rode away, Anya in tow. When they reached the others Xander asked Anya to return with the tired animals. She complied, and when she returned with the fresh mounts, Xander exploded in laughter and near collapsed in his saddle from sheer relief. Laughing, he said,  
"I can't believe we got away with that!" Anya blinked.  
"You – you mean you didn't know what you were doing was right?" she asked incredulously. He grinned.  
"Hadn't a clue." That wasn't exactly true, but he wasn't going to tell her yet that all his pseudo-soldier memories had returned. Anya looked taken aback as Willow and Dawn grinned openly.  
"Why – you – no – good," Anya accentuated each syllable with a punch to the ribs, "Al – ex – an – der – La – Velle – Har – ris!" Xander winced as he rode wondering if it was really necessary for Anya to spend so long saying his name.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They rode without incident for the next few days, finding more food for Dawn. On the third day, they came in sight of a fortress, and twenty Ankylan riders greeted them. "My lord," said what Xander's pseudo-soldier memories told him was probably a captain, "welcome to Sash Fortress. We would be honoured to host you." This captain was far more disciplined than the first sergeant. It was none of his concern what a general's business was unless the general decided to make it so, lectured his pseudo memories.  
  
Anya and Willow had assumed demon shapes and Anya cast a spell making Spike and Dawn appear as Ankylans to all who saw them. "Is your lord not going to greet me himself?" asked Xander of the captain.  
"My lord," responded the captain, "Colonel Sash is currently campaigning in Mesu against the Seshni raiders. I command here in his stead." The captain seemed disgruntled that he wasn't also off campaigning in this 'Mesu'. Quickly the captain said "Your accommodations are being seen to, my lord. May I ask how long a duration the General will honour us in his stay?" Xander mutely gave a slow shake of his head. The captain continued as if nothing untoward had happened. "The latest reports from south of Chaono Lake are Colonel Sash's study" said the captain as Xander heard Willow speaking in his mind.  
{Xander, we need to find out as much as we can about Ri'Oth. Ask to go to the Colonel's study.}  
"Sure, Will" he replied aloud, forgetting that it was unnecessary with Willow's mental link.  
"My lord?" asked the confused captain.  
"Nothing, captain," Xander quickly covered, "continue". The captain immediately resumed his stiff posture.  
"The reports, my lord; shall I have them fetched from the Colonel's study?" Xander pretended to consider it.  
"No, captain. I think I'll go to the Colonel's study myself." If the captain was surprised by the order, he didn't display it. He quickly summoned a servant, who he ordered lead them to the Colonel's study. He excused himself with a salute, explaining that he had necessary tasks to perform. He was leaving when Xander heard Willow in his head. Xander called after the captain, "I do not wish to be disturbed." The captain nodded with an acceding  
"My lord", saluted again, and exited.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The short, green-skinned servant led them to the study and left without a word, which surprised Xander, considering how the officers behaved toward him. Once inside the large, dusty room, Willow and Anya resumed their human forms, the latter lifting the illusions from Spike and Dawn. "Gee, Xander. You're handling this whole 'milord' thing really well", praised Willow.  
"Yup, he's great", chimed Anya as she hugged Xander's enormous torso. Spike cocked an eyebrow at the praise and shook his head, but Dawn joined in by telling Xander how much he rocked as a demon.  
"Yeah," nodded Xander, "I am the man... or in this case I am the big, freaky antler-monster."  
"Xander," said Willow seriously, "you're gonna have to stay the way you look though. That's the only reason we got this far." Xander frowned.  
"Geez, Will. I was just about to ask Anya if she could make look normal again. Its like you read my mind." Willow grinned and Xander looked aghast. "Hey, stop that!"  
  
The exchange ended when Willow caught sight of a bookshelf behind Xander. She wordlessly took a book and began excitedly reading. "Look at that," said Xander, "you can take the girl out of the boring, creepy library, but you can't take the boring, creepy library out of the girl." Willow looked up, frowning. "Alright," said Xander, raising his hands and then opening a book, "I'm working."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The five read as much as they could of the books, attempting to gather as much current information about Ri'Oth as they possibly could, Willow far outpacing the others. It was Dawn, however, who discovered a large, folded map tucked into one of the books. "Hey guys, look what I found," she chirped, holding up her prize, "It's a map, I think." Spike leaned over the unfolded map.  
"You're right, Niblet. Look, this is where we are," he said pointing to a small dot with the almost unreadable words 'Sash Fortress' scribbled beside it. "Looks like that mist way back is a permanent feature," he said indicating a black crescent on the map titled 'MistWall'.  
"Man, look at the size of it," exclaimed Xander, "it must be hundreds of square miles. If Dawn didn't know where to go, we could still be wandering around inside it right now." He scratched his ear saying, "I wonder what caused it."  
"Or how long its there" added Dawn. At that, Willow snapped her fingers to gain everyone's attention.  
"I know why the MistWall is there. According to this," Willow nodded toward the book she was holding, "there are two clans of Ankylans in Ri'Oth. The Buntine and the Seshni. It says that the Buntine went over to the worship of Deetai from Estyarth around a hundred years ago, and the Buntine leaders lured the Seshni army into a massive trap, that they thought was a mission to destroy their natural enemies, the Chaos Soldiers from Chaono. But before the Buntine and Chaos Legions could annihilate the Seshni host and invade the Seshni Plains, the Seshni god willed the MistWall into existence. It doomed any who entered and blocked off the quick invasion route to Seshni .So, by the time the Buntine and Chaos Legions reached the Seshni Plains, through the borderland; Mesu, reinforcements from Ka'ad and Great Demm strengthened to rout and turn back the invaders.  
  
"Since then the Buntine and Seshni clans of Ankylans have engaged in a decades-long bloodfued that usually takes place in Mesu." She pointed it out on the map, just north of their position at the north of Buntine Springs. "With almost constant reinforcements from Chaono for the Buntine and from Ka'ad for the Seshni, neither clan has managed to break the deadlock in all this time." She looked up from the book.  
"Go, Will!" said Xander and Dawn almost at the same time.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They took the map and some of the books to the quarters they were given for the night, during which they sifted out as much relevant information as they could. Apparently, Xander's form as a Chaos General meant that he was without peer in rank in the western continent, and had maybe only twelve to fifteen equals in the vast lands of Chaono. Adversely, should Dawn sense Buffy's trail led to the east, toward the Seshni Plains or beyond, Xander's form would lead to immediate attack from all sides.  
  
They gleaned that the south-west of Mesu was currently under the control of Deetai's forces, but the Seshni were making leeway and becoming bolder in their raids and attacks of Chaos and Buntine garrisons, sometimes even attacking as far west as the southern tip of Chaono Lake.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dawn had sensed Buffy's trail was northerly, so tomorrow they would be going into Mesu, Seshni raids or not. Willow had wanted to stay in Sash Fortress a few days longer, but Dawn was insistent. Xander placated Willow by suggesting she take whatever books she wanted and he would have the captain provide them with another krus. It seemed to work.  
  
The following morning, they remounted their rested animals and rode north, the others once again disguised by Anya's spell, Willow no longer bothering to shape shift into a demon form. They had taken two krus from Sash, and now everybody had their own mount. It was on hers that Anya rode up to Xander, leaving Willow and Dawn speaking behind and Spike scouting the rear. "Xander," she said.  
"Yeah, An."  
"I meant to ask this before but you listened to what that book Willow read said about the 'MistWall', right?" Her tone was quiet and vaguely confused. He replied in the affirmative. "So you heard what it said about it being doom for all who entered?" He nodded. "Then how come we're fine? Shouldn't we have been doomed? And for that matter, if Buffy was there when she came to Ri'Oth, shouldn't she have been doomed, too? Not that I want her to be doomed, or us for that matter. But in the old days, if you were doomed, you were doomed!" Xander shrugged.  
"Well, honey, I guess they don't make dooms like they used to."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They didn't want to stop again, so they avoided the sister fortress of Sash; MorCastle, just inside the Mesu border. As Xander was posing as a general they had to avoid any chance of meeting someone with the authority or stupidity Xander added, to question them. Dawn led them in a generally northeasterly direction for the next five days, and when they passed a small lake the map told them was called Uskique, they knew they were halfway to Chaono Lake, where the field reports told them that Colonel Sash amongst others, were based.  
  
"That's the sodding last place we want to be", said Spike pointing out Chaono Lake on the map during a short rest from riding.  
"Yeah," agreed Willow, "we should avoid going there unless absolutely necessary. From what I've read of the authority system here, a general would be at least expected to identify himself to a colonel, and it would be really strange for a general to keep a colonel in the dark about anything." Scratching his face, Xander asked  
"Willow, you said that there's like, maybe fifteen other guys who equal me in rank, right?" She told him that was true. "My soldier memories are telling me that this Mesu is some massive front in a enormous war for Estyarth's and Deetai's forces, even if it wasn't obvious from what we've read. So, its reasonable that maybe half these guys are somewhere in Mesu at any one time. Now, this place is huge," he said indicating Mesu on the map, "so its fairly safe to say that these guys would be thinly spread. Also, the field reports say that Colonel Sash is in command of the camp at Chaono Lake. If we had to go there and I showed up with a legitimate name, y'know a general who isn't in Mesu, but who Sash hasn't met, I could say almost anything as long as it was plausible. Hell, I could say I'm taking command!"  
"Yeah, let's not do that," said Spike.  
  
"Will," asked Xander, "are the names of the Chaos Generals in any of the books you took from the fortress?" She solemnly shook her head. Smiling suddenly she said,  
"It's a good thing I memorised all the names before we left."  
"Will, you are the goddess of all things boring book- related, and that's just one of the reasons why I love you." Anya frowned unhappily.  
"What about me, Xander?" she asked tartly.  
"I love you too, An." She hugged him and said  
"Oh, that's all right then." Dawn was theatrically pretending to be sad until Xander said,  
"You too. Dawnster." Then she smiled and hugged him as well. Xander looked up from the hug and saw Spike. At Xander's smirk, Spike delivered the most evil look that has ever been given from one sentient being to another.  
  
As well as some 'Master General' whose name wasn't mentioned, there were eight Chaos Generals currently not in Mesu, one of who was from the border of far distant Modalstiar. They settled on him. "So," announced Xander, "if we're stopped by anyone I'll give the name 'Lord General Ver-Tal of Metash', okay?" Then Willow said,  
"But let's do our best to avoid this Colonel Sash."  
"Yeah," said Xander, "Spike, much as I hate so very much to admit is right. Chaono Lake is the last place we wanna go." Dawn, who had been silent throughout this conversation, now spoke  
"But it's where we're going." 


	6. Out of the Mountains

Chapter 5: Out Of The Mountains  
  
They had become increasingly anxious as they neared Chaono Lake, all hoping that Dawn would tell them that Buffy's trail had changed direction due west or south any time soon.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Having left Sash Fortress ten days when they encountered a group of twenty riders; ten Buntine, ten Chaos soldiers. Xander came to a halt, the others disguised as usual, as two sergeants approached him. They both saluted, palms out, the Buntine sergeant beginning "My lord I-" before Xander interrupted,  
"Under whom do you serve?" in as imperious a manner as he could muster.  
"Under Colonel Sash, my lord," said the Chaos Sergeant. But before he could continue Xander said,  
"Good."  
{There's no helping it, now}. Willow sent the thought to Xander.  
I know, he thought back. "I am Lord General Ver-Tal. You will escort us to your base, sergeant."  
"Of course, my lord," quickly said the Chaos Sergeant. Both sergeants saluted, and they turned to ride for Lake Chaono.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow created a mental link between the five, so that they could speak without being overheard. Willow, thought Xander, {if we get to the camp and Dawn senses Buffy went someplace else, how am I supposed to get us out of there?}  
{I don't know yet}, came the reply. {We'll think of something}.  
{Like what, Red?} Asked Spike. {If G.I. Dough-Boy here isn't convincing, that colonel will probably see right through him. Feels like we're walking to the headman's block to me. There's only twenty of them. We can take 'em.}  
{But what if one of them gets away-}, began Anya.  
{I know}, thought Spike. {This is just so bloody...}  
{Laboriously slow?} Suggested Anya. Spike barked a humourless laugh catching the attention of some of the riders. At his stare, they turned away.  
{Couldn't have put better}, thought Spike, {If only we had something in front of us. Between her and us. Something... I don't know: tangible: physical. Something I could...}  
{Something you could fight}, supplied Dawn. Spike grimaced.  
{Yeah, Niblet. Something I could just fight, to get to her.} Everyone was silent. Then Dawn spoke in her mind.  
{You still love her don't you?} Spike rolled his eyes to the ground, closing them. A moment later he audibly sighed.  
{Let's just say that I miss her, Dawn. I miss her...} They rode on, their minds contemplative. {Anya?} Dawn asked mentally an hour or so later, as they were riding west of a small mountainous area. {Why didn't you disguise Xander like you disguised us? Then we could have gotten through pretending to be regular soldiers.}  
{Because its just a disguise, Dawn}, came the reply, {no Ankylan or normal Chaos demon is over ten feet tall! If I tried it, we'd all see an Ankylan demon, but with a gigantic Chaos Demon's chest sticking out of his head.}  
{Oh}, came Dawn's response, {I didn't}-  
{And trust me, he is gigantic}, interrupted Anya.  
{Ah, Honey}, thought Xander warily to Anya, {we don't need-}  
{We checked some things out back at the castle}, she continued.  
{Anya}, tried Xander, but Anya steamrolled on.  
{You know, when we had those private quarters? Trust me, when I say 'gigantic', I mean frikkin'}-  
{ANYA!} mentally shouted Xander. Anya turned questioningly to Xander, who looked down and quickly shook his antlered head. Anya mouthed 'Oooh', and nodded, then turned to Willow and mouthed 'Gi-gan-tic'.  
  
A few minutes later Dawn sent the thought, {Anya, you said Xander isn't a normal Chaos Demon. If he isn't, what is he?}  
{I'm not really sure, Dawn. He might be a type of demon that's only native to this dimension, because I've never seen anything like him before.}  
{Couldn't he be, like, just a really big regular Chaos Demony Guy?} Asked Dawn.  
{I suppose}, she responded, {he has the wrong colour skin and eyes but}-, she stopped as a scouting Chaos Soldier came riding back ti the main group, saying,  
"Sir, bandits ahead," to his sergeant.  
"How many?" asked the sergeant. The scout's eyes were wild.  
"Estimate fifty ahead, sir. But there are two large groups heading for us from the west and southwest, less than a quarter of a mile away, sir."  
"Ours?" asked the sergeant. The scout shook his head. "How many coming from the west and southwest?"  
"At least two hundred, sir." His response was that of a cornered animal.  
"We are caught in a vice!" said the Ankylan sergeant. "We must make for the mountains. Ride! Quickly!" he shouted as he began to move.  
"No!" exclaimed the Chaos Sergeant. They are Imystian bandits of the Desert Mountains. They ride mountain-krus. They will easily overtake us in that terrain. We would be picked off, one at a time."  
  
Suddenly Xander shouted, "Halt, sergeant!" to the Ankylan, then turned to the Chaos sergeant. "Is what you true? Will their mounts outmatch ours on mountainous terrain?  
"Without doubt, my lord," spoke the sergeant.  
"Then we make for the north!" shouted Xander. "We hit them head on and punch a hole through the group," he instructed as they rode. "Once through we make for Chaono Lake. Do not stop!" he added as the group of fifty bandits became visible, growing closer. {Willow}, he thought,{can you and Anya protect Dawn?} Willow nodded and with urgency gathered Dawn and Anya to her. She incanted a short spell and a translucent shield of light, barely visible, appeared before them.  
{Ride straight through, Red!} Mentally shouted Spike. {Don't stop for anything! We'll cover you.} He readied the sabre he had acquired from the first riders they had encountered.  
  
The approaching bandits were two hundred yards away when Xander raised his weapon. Mentally readying himself for battle, suddenly the sabre glowed a shiny black, and grew in his outstretched arm to a nine-foot long great- sword of black steel, and his slick, night-black skin hardened into organic armour. He barely had time to open his mouth in shock when the bandits were upon them, and battle instincts took over. He raised the massive weapon and effortlessly cleaved an approaching red-skinned demon from shoulder to chops, spraying the area with demon blood. In the same motion he pulled out his sword and ran through another bandit. They were lightly built with dark muzzles and fanged mouths.  
  
Willow's shield was preventing anyone from touching the three the girls as attackers futilely slashed and stabbed at the barrier. Those that weren't immediately deterred soon were, as Spike wielded his sabre with stunning speed, decapitating a particularly determined bandit.  
  
Dawn winced at the sight of a flying severed arm, bone clearly visible, as she held as tightly as she could to her speeding animal, gripping the red beast by its dark, grey mane. Everywhere was blood and steel and screaming and hooves stomping and suddenly – they were through. She looked up and saw that Willow had released the shield, and Spike was beside her. She looked to Anya who was looking back and shouting something, "Xander! Hurry!" shouted Anya, as Xander and a few riders still fought off the bandits. He sent an attacker flying from his mount with a monstrous thrust before shouting,  
"To me! To me!" and made for Anya and the others, flanked by two Chaos Soldiers and two Ankylans. The bandits had recovered from the shock of the sheer ferocity of the attack and were giving chase. "Ride!" bellowed Xander, "Move!" To his left, a Chaos Soldier toppled from his animal, with a fletching protruding from his ribs. The bandits were now making use of their bows as they rode, as arrows shot through the air. The Ankylan behind Xander took an arrow in the back and fell limp, as Xander saw another Chaos Soldier dropping from his animal, clutching his neck.  
  
Dawn gasped as she saw an arrow strike Xander in the back, and bounce off the armour she only now realised he wore. The other rider and he were moving away from their pursuers as their mounts were better paced on this level terrain. As Xander and the Ankylan caught up to them, the bandits were growing smaller in the distance.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Xander surveyed the scene as they rode at a blistering pace. Dawn and the others were safe, but he saw that half the twenty had fallen. "Sergeant," he called loudly over the pounding hoofbeats.  
"Both fallen, my lord," shouted back the Ankylan beside him, the one who had rode out at the last with him, "the Chaos Sergeant went down in the first rush and Sergeant Attel took an arrow in the back." Xander grimaced.  
"What's your name?" he asked the soldier.  
"Corporal Dricoi, my lord," he shouted in reply.  
"Sergeant Dricoi," corrected Xander. "Tell me, sergeant; how far until we can expect assistance?"  
"At least fifteen miles, my lord. We were much further away from camp than usual, as we were a scouting party attempting to locate these Imystian Mountain bandits. They have become much bolder, raiding deeper into Mesu in recent months than I can ever recall, my lord." Xander nodded his antlered head. To Anya he sent out the thought,  
{An, what were those demons? Some of them must have been insane. One rode straight into my sword!} he thought incredulously.  
{I think they were Truscho Demons.} She replied, and added {sometimes they tend to go a little berserk and go rampaging.}  
{No kidding!} thought back Xander.  
"My lord!" shouted one of the three remaining Chaos Soldiers, "To the west!" They could see that the largest group of bandits was riding diagonally toward them, northeast, having used the earlier melee to gain on the riders.  
"They'll overtake us in minutes!" roared Xander.  
{Xander!} mentally called Willow, {I have an idea! Order the soldiers to stop.}  
{But-} began Xander.  
{I don't have time to explain, Xander. Just trust me.}  
  
Xander ordered a halt. {Anya, release the disguises on everyone} instructed Willow. Confused, Anya began removing the illusions on her and the others. {Xander}, urgently thought Willow, {tell the soldiers what they are about to see is an illusion; just a spell. Hurry!}  
"Sergeant!" called Xander loud enough to be heard by all the group, "your men are not to flee! What you are about to see is an illusion." {If only I even knew what it was}, he added to himself.  
  
As Willow and the others rode toward the attackers, Xander realised what Willow was doing, as he heard startled and choked gasps from behind of 'Vantals!' A faint glimmer preceding the human-looking group told Xander that Willow had re-established her mystical shield around them.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The head bandit saw that the fleeing riders had halted. {How noble}, he thought to himself, {a last stand}. "Ready your bows-" he began as he caught sight of four riders approaching. He chuckled to himself, {Fools, soon they-}, as he caught sight of their faces.  
"Vantals!" shouted one of his men, falling from his krus as he desperately tried to stop and turn.  
{No!} thought the Truscho, {Vantals! Four of-} "Turn!" he shouted, "Flee! Flee!" Feyuto had no wish to die, regardless of the size of the bounty.  
"I don't believe it!", exclaimed Dawn. "They're running away. What did you do, Willow?" Spike, however, was smiling.  
"Oh, that was cute, Red. Real cute." He began turning, "Let's catch up, quick. When they meet up with their buddies, they might get over their case of 'Willy The Snitch-Syndrome'. Come on, you lot!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Xander had the riders moving when the other, led by Anya returned, she having restored their disguises. "Are all of you alright?" he asked them.  
{We're fine, Xander}, came Willow's reply in her head  
{Willow, what was that?} asked Dawn. {Did you make them see monsters or something? I mean, I saw us looking normal.}  
{They did, and we did,} answered Willow. Dawn's silence spoke volumes. {I let them see us as humans, Dawn. I remembered what Anya said about vampires in some dimensions. So, if humans are extinct in this world, the only thing that would look human...}  
{Is a vampire!} Finished Dawn.  
{And seeing how Spike easily tore apart ten guys when he lost it, four vamps could've annihilated more than half those bandits,} said Xander in their minds, as he sheathed his weapon on his back. Dawn was grinning.  
{You seriously rule, Willow!}  
  
After ten tenuous further miles, Dricoi said, "They are giving up the chase, my lord," as he craned his neck around, "They will risk coming no closer to our encampment." Behind, the Truscho were breaking off their pursuit. Ten minutes after they had disappeared from sight, Xander order that they slow to a canter, and then a trot, to give the tired animals some deserved rest. His own large mount suffered more than any others, bearing the six hundred pounds of muscle that was Xander's demon form. He knew that these krus must be stronger than any horse on Earth.  
{Dawn}, he asked, {we still headed in the right direction?} She nodded. He only wished that the right direction wasn't going to continue to lead right into the encampment, and Colonel Sash. 


	7. Chaono Lake

Chapter 6: Chaono Lake  
  
Twenty more riders, who they encountered six miles from Chaono Lake, escorted them into the camp. Only half of the original twenty were with them, two of them grievously injured, but had somehow managed to conjure the stamina to endure their escape. Xander ordered that they be immediately tended to. "Sergeant", he said to Dricoi, "have my retainers issued quarters," as he dismounted, greatsword in its scabbard upon his back.  
"Yes, my lord," replied the Ankylan, who quickly instructed a small, green-skinned demon to escort Willow and the others to a tent. Xander recognised the type pf demon from Sash Fortress, where it had also been a servant.  
{Dawn, can you tell where Buffy headed from here?} asked Xander.  
{Aaah,} thought Dawn, {that way} and pointed east.  
{As in straight into the battlefield?} asked Anya. {Maybe there's a detour?}  
{Great} thought Xander, {what excuse am I supposed to come up with to walk straight into the battlefield?}  
{Doesn't bleedin' matter what excuse you give him. You're supposed to be a general. Just tell him you want to go and pick daisies or something.}  
{Oh gee Spike, any other words of wisdom to share?} asked Xander sarcastically.  
{Yeah}, he replied, {don't bloody screw up.}  
{You'll do great} thought Willow. {But seriously, don't screw up!}, she thought, stifling a giggle. Shaking his head, Xander said,  
"Sergeant, lead me to Colonel Sash's pavilion."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The camp was filled with Buntine and Chaos Soldiers, among a plethora of less numerous various demons (some of which Xander actually recognised, like a few Fyarl demons). All, save the small green-skinned demons raised their palms in salute as he passed. He didn't return the salutes, knowing they would be at ease once he had left their view.  
  
Dricoi led him past several riders leading their krus, and followed him into the largest tent in the camp. Inside was the largest Ankylan Xander had ever seen. Dricoi was powerfully built and six-foot four inches tall, but was dwarfed by this Colonel whose only uniform were the black tippets at his shoulders and the red cloak on his back. Sash was over seven feet tall and massively built, rivalling all and bettering most Chaos Soldiers for sheer mass. Still, he had to arch his neck to look up to Xander, saying, "My lord, I have been expecting you," in a dry, flat voice devoid of all emotion, while saluting.  
"As you should have been," replied Xander. {The captain at Sash Fortress must have somehow sent word to the colonel} he thought.  
"Yes, I received word via aeraich from Captain Creill, eight days ago. Strangely, he omitted your name, my lord?"  
"That's because I didn't tell him my name, Colonel." {Let him know who's in charge}, thought Xander. "I am Lord-General Ver-Tal, Colonel." His face contorted in confusion.  
"I was led to believe that you were putting down a rebellion in Northern Modalstiar."  
"True, Colonel," replied Xander who was thinking frantically, "but I trust my lieutenants to continue the campaign with full competency in my absence." {Think, man, think!} I have come here to take stock of the overall status of our troops in Mesu from a reliable first-hand perspective." {How the hell did I think of that?} he wondered.  
"Of course, my lord." Sash hesitated, "May I ask, however, why you visited Fortress Sash?"  
"You may, replied Xander stiffly. Only his pseudo-soldier training was preventing him from running off screaming. "I had sought to accompany you to Chaono Lake. That is no longer important." Sash nodded, saying  
"I understand that my lord's journey to Chaono Lake was not without event." Xander indicated Dricoi. Sash said "Report, corporal."  
"Sergeant," corrected Xander. At Sash's uncomprehending look, he added "Field Promotion." Dricoi stepped forward, and began to report the events that had taken place in the last day.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Why can't we talk to Xander like before, Willow?" asked Dawn. They were in a large tent and Anya was lying in a long half-barrel in the corner, taking a bath. Willow stopped reading to answer Dawn.  
"Oh, we can honey," replied the witch. They were all back in their human forms, but Willow had placed a charm so they could hear anyone approach the tent. "But we couldn't hear what he's hearing, so we'd just distract him. That's the last thing he needs," she said, looking again at the book in her lap. Dawn unfolded her arms and said,  
"I hope he does okay." Willow nodded and went back to her book.  
"Oh, don't worry, Dawnie," said Anya unconcernedly from her bath, "its Xander. He'll be fine." Dawn made a little half-smile.  
"Um," Dawn mumbled. "Did anyone notice the way Xander changed, y'know, during the fight? Can all Chaos Demons do that?"  
"Do what?" asked Anya.  
"I'm not too sure..." Dawn began, but Spike helped her.  
"You mean the way his skin turned into a bleedin' suit of armour?" Dawn nodded, and Anya frowned.  
"It wasn't just that," said Dawn, "his sword – it was – I mean – he had-"  
"One of these?" asked Spike as he lifted his sabre. "I saw it too, Niblet. He just held up the thing and it transformed into that gigantic meat-cleaver he has now. Good thing, too, 'cos he cut down a lot of the bastards with it." For Spike in any way to praise Xander, she knew he must have been phenomenal.  
"Chaos Demons aren't supposed to be able to do anything like that," informed Anya, "and in eleven hundred and twenty-two years, I've seen a few. Why don't you ask Willow?" she said, pointing to the book- engrossed Willow, who looked up at the mention of her name.  
  
"What?" she asked, "sorry, I wasn't listening. I've been trying to find out something about the Chaos Generals, here."  
"Did you find anything?" asked Dawn.  
"Yep," replied Willow, "I realised that Xander is a different type of Chaos Demon when I saw those riding earlier. So, I thought that maybe he was one of a different clan. Y'know, like the Buntine and the Seshni clans of Ankylans?" They said they did. "Well, the Chaos Soldiers come from this huge place just west of us called Chaono, and its separated into two clans called the Destals of Dest Chaono," Willow indicated where it was on the map, "and the Aelstans of Aelst Chaono, further north."  
"So which one is Xander," asked Dawn, a Destal or an Aelstan?"  
"Neither," answered Willow. "It says here that Aelstans are copper-skinned and Destals are bronze-skinned. We've seen plenty of them so far, but Xander's skin is way darker."  
"Maybe, its something to do with rank?" suggested Spike from near the entrance. "They all seem to think dough-boy's a general just by looking at him, so maybe its some ritual they do when they're made a general; some sort of Rite of Passage. I've seen it before. Fyarl demons burn themselves when they reach a new rank. Bloody lunatics."  
"But that wouldn't explain those things you said he did," said Anya from the bath.  
"I'll keep looking," said Willow as she closed the book on her lap and was already reaching for another.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I am relieved you arrived safely, my lord," said Colonel Sash, "may I ask what your intentions are?" Dricoi's report had given Xander enough time to formulate a plausible response to this inevitable question.  
"I will survey the camp today, Colonel. Tomorrow, I shall ride east toward the eventual battlefield, and from there I shall journey to the camp if the Great Lord-General Mart-Jik at the River Aelst." His memories of soldier training had not allowed Xander peace until he had memorized the map, like a good soldier should, Now, he was really thankful for that.  
"Then, good journey, my lord," responded Sash. "I doubt I will be able to speak with you again. Preparations must be attended to. You will of course require an escort on your travels."  
{Damn it!} thought Xander, {I knew I'd forgotten something}. "True, Colonel," said Xander. Sash turned to Dricoi.  
"Sergeant, have a party ready for the morning." Said Sash. Xander nodded.  
"We leave at first light." {Better the devil you know} he thought sardonically.  
"Yes, my lord," said Dricoi, Xander saluted, as did the other two present, and left, flanked by Dricoi.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
{This cannot be coincidence!} thought Colonel Sash again when he was alone. {A Chaos General here, at this time? They must suspect me And Dricoi...} But to even incur Deetai's suspicion was to bring his wrath down upon you. {But why send a Chaos General? From the Modalstian border of all places?} This made no sense, but one thing that was crystal clear was that if they knew even a fraction of what he was planning, his head would currently be ordaining a pike in the centre of the camp. {I have no choice but to proceed as planned. My god protect me, if I fail...} The fate of all Ankylans was balanced on a knife edge. Should he fail, his death would be but one amongst tens of thousands.  
  
{If only those damn Truscho 'bandits' hadn't failed,} he grimaced. Should Lord Ver-Tal have perished then, in the attack, Sash would be free of suspicion. But he had undoubtedly relayed the events back to Deetai, "Once to Deetai's Eye, you never leave his gaze," Sash quoted to himself. If the Chaos General died now, Deetai himself would know instantly, and order his other generals to Chaono Lake. No, the general could not be killed, but something had to be done, and Sash already had something in mind.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Xander had intended to make a show of inspecting the camp; a cursory glance there, a small comment there. But once again, his pseudo-soldier training came into play, and he found himself taking detailed, mental notes about the camp. During his inspection, he found something odd; amiss. The Ankylan soldiers seemed to outnumber the Chaos Soldiers, but not in any way that were noticeable or that seemed significant. But he could tell it was. Also of note, all key areas seemed to be guarded solely by Ankylans. True, Sash himself was an Ankylan. This camp looked normal; well organised and disciplined, but something was going to happen here. He suddenly felt a great urge to be out of there as soon as they could be, as if an arrow were pointed between his shoulder blades. Not that it would matter with that armour... - that was strange. He hadn't had an opportunity to think about what had happened when the Truscho demons had attacked them.  
  
Xander could hear speech from their tent, but it abruptly ceased as he approached it. He entered asking "Guys, what -?"  
"Xander!" exclaimed Anya, "where have you been all day?"  
"I was surveying the camp and – all day? I was gone all day?" Anya pointed out at the night sky. Xander shook his head, "How did that happen? Must have got carried away inspecting the camp." Then he paused a moment. "Why did go hush-hush when I came in?"  
"We figured you for one of them," answered Spike. "Few of the buggers came in today with food and the lot. So, did you bollox it up?" Willow frowned at Spike and asked,  
"So, what did you say?" Xander shrugged,  
"I just told him that I was here making a first-hand survey of all the major camps in Mesu. He looked like he bought it. We'll be leaving in the morning, going east."  
"Great, Xander," said Dawn happily, "I knew you could do it. You're the best." Xander shifted a little, and said  
"There's a teeny-tiny problem."  
"Which is?" asked Willow. Xander cleared his throat and said,  
"We're gonna have an escort. Probably a big one."  
"Oh, you stupid wanker!" scoffed Spike.  
"Hey, I couldn't think of a reason to get rid of them," Xander said defending himself. "Listen, once we're far enough away, I'll just order them to turn around and go back. They should obey me."  
"SHOULD?" said Spike dubiously.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Later, Anya and Dawn were asleep. Xander sat beside Willow and said, "Will, I was just thinkin',"  
"Now there's a surprise," interrupted Spike.  
"Hey! Private conversation here. D'you mind?" said Xander.  
"Well, if you'd keep it down, I could get some bloody sleep," retorted Spike. Rolling her eyes at this, Willow asked,  
"About what, Xander?"  
"About what we're gonna do if Dawn says Buffy's trail leads into Estyarth's territory," he said seriously. "An says she can't disguise me the way she does the rest of you, and from what we've seen and you've read, I won't be too welcome over there. Is there any spell you could do?"  
"I don't think so, Xander," came her troubled reply. "My powers are completely different here, than from back home. Its just luck that dreads can do the mind link like I was using for helping us slay. I wouldn't want to experiment on you." He rubbed his chin.  
"I need a shave," he complained. "But if you or Anya can't do anything Will, and we do have to go there, I'm probably going to have to... to go back." Willow's look was sad as she took a deep breath.  
"I know. But if Dawn brings you back, we'll all have to go too." Xander's expression became confused and he asked why. "If Dawn goes back home, and then returns to Ri'Oth, who's to say she'll come back where she left? She might even end up back in the MistWall without us. No, if you go, we all go," she said with finality. "then Dawn can bring the rest of us back."  
"But Will, if that happens and you asll end up in the MistWall again, you'll lose weeks," he replied.  
"Doesn't matter Xander," said Willow, "we're not going to risk you any more than the rest of us. Don't make me bring out the resolve face."  
  
Changing the subject later on, Willow remarked, "The guys said that you were awesome during the fight today. Well, Spike didn't say you were awesome, just less of a pillock than usual, but that's good coming from Spike, don't you think?" she said cheerily.  
"Yeah, I meant to ask you and Anya about that earlier," said Xander, "but I got so caught up in everything."  
"What happened?" she asked, "I mean, the guys filled me in on the whole huge sword plus armour skin stuff, but what happened to you?" clarified Willow.  
"I'm not really sure," he replied. "I was just getting ready to fight, and this small sword I had turned into one extra large super-sword with fries! And before I even know it, I was wearing armour all over. It was like just thinking about the fight made it happen." Willow visually inspected Xander and said  
"Your skin is back to normal," and turned to face the greatsword lying in the corner, "but the sword is still different." She gnawed on her knuckle. "Xander?" she asked.  
"Yeah?"  
"Where did you keep that sword all day?"  
"In the scabbard on my back," he shrugged, "it"-. He reached and felt his back, finding no scabbard. "Wait a minute," he insisted, "there WAS a scabbard there earlier."  
"But not now?" He shook his head. "When did it go away?" asked the redhead. Xander thought a moment, scratching his ear.  
"I suppose when I took off the sword when I came into the tent tonight. That's weird, I was sure I..." he trailed off.  
"When did you first have it?" she pressed.  
"After the battle, when I put it away – woah."  
  
"Xander," said Willow standing up, "I have an idea." She walked toward the black sword and tried to move it. It barely budged. "Maybe, it'd be better if you picked it up," she laughed. Xander walked over and hoisted the massive blade in one hand. "Now, instructed Willow. Sheathe it." Xander effortlessly placed the sword on his back, and Willow's eye's widened as his dark skin slicked and shaped itself around the weapon, and then hardened into a scabbard around the blade. Xander's eyes were also wide.  
"Okay, what was that? I felt that," said Xander, as Willow picked up Spike's sabre. She levelled it at Xander, and his whole body shifted into black armour, only his eyes and antlers visible. He looked at himself, "What the?!", he muttered as his skin turned back. "Can all Chaos Demons do that?" he asked giddily.  
"No, said Willow, "you're a special type of Chaos Demon: elite amongst all Deetai's forces. You're not any type of Chaos Soldier it mentions in the books.  
"Oh, great," he moaned, "I'm SPECIAL." Ignoring the remark, she held up a book and continued,  
"But this one hints at something. Listen," she instructed. "It says 'To the Sea of Deetai the Chaos Soldier goes to be anointed. Once to Deetai's Eye you never leave his gaze. Thus, Chaos Generals are born'."  
"Sounds pretty deep," he murmured, "Hey!" he realised, "the map has a 'Sea of Deetai'  
  
"Very little of it is shown here," pointed out Willow. Xander indicated an area on the extreme west of the map.  
"Yeah, but you can see some sort of island right there," he said. "The map ends there, so the island could be bigger."  
"It seems kind of a moot point anyway Xander," explained Willow. "This is over a thousand miles west, and Dawn says we have to go east. It seems unlikely that we'll ever have to go near there."  
"Kinda hope not," he replied. "I mean, how creepy is that? 'Once to Deetai's Eye, you never leave his gaze'." He shifted uncomfortably. "You may as well get some sleep, Will." He stretched his arms. "We'll be leaving in a couple of hours."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
As Willow and the others slept, Xander sat up pondering the words 'Once to Deetai's Eye, you never leave his gaze'.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
False dawn passed as he sat motionless, arms on his knees, wondering if they'd find Buffy; if he'd have to go home it her trail led into Estyarth's territory. A hand on his shoulder broke him out of his reverie. He turned to see Dawn, shorter standing than he was sitting. "Hey, Xander," she said, "are you okay? You looked majorly zoned out."  
"Ah, its nothing Dawn," he sighed. "Better wake up the guys. They're probably already waiting for us with the krus." Dawn wilted, as the prospect of another painful day in the saddle materialised, before she turned to wake up Spike. 


	8. Reticulation of Misinformation

Chapter 7: Reticulation of Misinformation  
  
"My lord," began Sergeant Dricoi saluting, "you are ready to leave?" Returning the salute, Xander nodded and mounted his krus. Waiting for the others, disguised as usual he said,  
"Proceed, Sergeant. I have no wish to waste more time." Xander was surprised and pleased at the small size of the entourage; only ten Ankylan riders including Dricoi. {Maybe things are starting to go our way for a change} he ventured. Dricoi signalled and they began to canter.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow resumed the mind-link again, now that they were out of their camp. {Dawn} thought Willow, {is this still the direction you sense Buffy went?}  
{Definitely} she answered. {She was right here where we are now.} They could see the MistWall to the south, hundreds, perhaps thousands of feet high, like a mountain range, dulling all light in that direction. {That thing is huge} thought Dawn, {seeing it on the map is one thing, but wow!}  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
After halting for a quick meal a few hours later, Anya sent the thought {Xander, if we keep going in this direction, I'm not letting you go into Seshni territory. They'll kill you, and then I'll be really unhappy and die an old spinster.}  
{Er, what?} thought Willow.  
{Don't worry, Anya, I won't-} began Xander, but Spike cut in.  
{Give it a rest, you can't see 'em yet, but there are quite a few unsavoury looking characters waiting ahead.} Spike's superior vampiric vision was rarely wrong. Anya thought,  
{Xander, see if the sarge knows who they are.}  
{The sarge?}, he thought back questioningly. "Sergeant," said Xander, catching Dricoi's attention, "there are troops ahead of us. Do you know who they are?" Dricoi seemed startled by the question.  
"My lord, I see no", he started as the soldiers came into view. "Forgive me, my lord. Those are Lord General Mart-Jik's troops."  
{But I thought Mart-Jik's camp was over a hundred miles northwest of here} informed Willow.  
{It is} returned Xander. {Be careful. I'll take care of this.}  
  
Xander rode to the forefront of the riders and saw that there were twenty Ankylan soldiers; no real need to worry. Sergeant Dricoi rode up next to him as they reached the soldiers, who were all mounted. Their sergeant saluted Dricoi who said, "This is Lord General Ver-Tal of Metash." With his introduction over, Xander rode forward and addressed the soldiers.  
{Something's wrong!} Spike sent the urgent thought to Dawn. Xander was speaking.  
"Sergeant, why do I find you so far from-". Dawn watched as Dricoi suddenly backhanded Xander with the hilt of his sword, toppling him from his saddle.  
"Xander!" she screamed in unison with Anya.  
"Seize them!" commanded one of the Ankylans.  
"Dawn! Move! Now!" shouted Spike as he grabbed her animal's reins. She could see Dricoi clubbing a groggy Xander across the back of the head.  
"No," screamed Anya as she rode for Xander. The soldiers were riding towards her as Willow shouted,  
"Anya, don't!" Dozens more riders were appearing from behind natural inclines in the land. Willow turned and shouted, "Spike! Get Dawn away! We'll find you later. Go!" as soldiers swarmed over Anya. Two attacked Dawn but were savagely cut down by Spike. She Abruptly felt her animal moving away from the mayhem.  
"Come on, Bit!" he shouted, "Hold on tight!"  
"No," Dawn insisted, "we have to go back, we can't leave them!" An arrow shot between them, and they heard a shout of,  
"Let none escape!" As Dawn clutched her reins, she looked back and saw Willow throwing balls of energy at dozens of soldiers. Abruptly, she dropped, a cudgel smashing the back of her head. "Follow them! Follow them!" came another roar from behind as they galloped at full pace.  
"Spike, no!" shouted Dawn. "We have to help them!"  
"There's more than a hundred of them, Dawn!" he shouted back. "Besides, Red can take care of herself. We'll find them again, but now we have to go!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They rode south at a murderous pace, an occasional arrow whistling past, chased by two-dozen riders. Dawn suddenly heard a wail of unimaginable horror, and saw that the area in which they had been ambushed was darker than before. "Willow," Dawn whispered as Spike urged the animals for more speed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
{A Dread!} thought Dricoi in horror as the soldier screamed. {What have I done?} The soldier's terrible wailing came to an abrupt end, and the demon lord incinerated its limp body in its clawed grip. Everywhere soldiers were screaming in terror. "Arrows! Arrows!" he ordered. The beast turned his fiery gaze on him, where the fallen Chaos General lay at his feet. It bellowed an ear-shattering roar of fury and began moving toward him. For the first time in his life, Dricoi was paralysed by fear. It reached for him, to consume his soul.  
  
In a flash of sparks, several arrows struck the creature in the chest, and it screamed in rage. Steel could not kill a Dread, but it could cause it pain. The creature shot a ball of fire from its talons, consuming the archers in flames, who never had time to scream. Once again the monsters' gaze was back upon Dricoi, but he had recovered from his paralysis. It again reached for him, but he swung at it with his long bastard sword, causing the thing to recoil. He swung again and it bellowed. He knew he was only buying time. It reached again once more, and knocked the sword from his grip. It was closing its talons around him when it was struck by an intense azure light, sending it stumbling back, screeching in pain and anger. It made to move when the immensely powerful beam, sending the gigantic demon tumbling, again hit it. Dricoi turned to see his saviour. {A Blue Mage!} he realised, amazed, at the sight of the cloaked figure, only a rimming of blue at the hood breaking the unrelieved black of his garb.  
  
This time the energy remained on the Dread when it fell, locking it in place. It struggled and writhed as the Blue Mage grunted with exertion. The Dread ceased moving as it began to decrease in size, dumbfounding the on- looking soldiers. Smaller it became, until it was smaller than any of the soldiers. The light glowed brighter shifting in the beasts form was visible. When the brilliant light dispelled, a small flame-haired Vantal laid upon the dusty ground. "A Vantal!" exclaimed one of the soldiers as he moved to it, his spear raised.  
"No!" shouted the Mage, "you will not harm it!" He looked around and asked, "Who is in command here?" Dricoi stepped forward and said,  
"I am, Mage. 'Captain Dricoi'. I thank you for my life." The Mage waved away the thanks.  
"Unnecessary, Captain." He looked at the Chaos General at Dricoi's feet. "Others?" Dricoi nodded.  
"There is another taken. Two are escaped," reported Dricoi.  
"They must be found," said the black-cloaked Mage heatedly, as he walked over to the little form of the former dread. "Indeed, it now seems a Vantal," he said with almost a gleam in his eye. "Is the other?"  
"No, Mage. It appears a Brairto, but I have never seen one outside of a painting. The Mage rubbed his chin.  
"A Brairto, eh? A Wish-mistress. Strange indeed. The power of the wish is long gone from Ri'Oth. Captain, you must recover the other two." Dricoi nodded, but asked  
"What did you do, Mage?" indicating the still Dread.  
"I forced and bound it into its most recently assumed form. It is harmless until released," said the Mage, who added "I should not have been able to do so, not even with the 'Sapphire Light', but the Dread's rage was its own undoing. So unlike a Dread, they are normally the coldest creatures imaginable. What caused its fury, Captain?"  
"I believe our attack on its comrades did, Blue Mage, particularly the Chaos General. Mage, if, - could..."  
"Could Deetai have tamed the Dreads?" the Mage finished. "For all our sakes, I hope not. I however doubt it." He walked over to the Chaos General, and held up his limp hand. There was a flash of energy, and now a faint blue aura enveloped the giant. "He shall not awaken until we reach Arth Demm."  
"Arth Demm! Asked Dricoi incredulously, eyes widening. "I know the capture of a Chaos General is a great blow, but I thought we would be taking him to Shuibol in east Seshni, or perhaps Yetlush just inside Ka'ad."  
"No, you and I shall be bringing them to Arth Demm." He moved back to the Dread. "It may be coincidence that this one had taken the form of a Vantal. I will not know for sure until the others are brought to me. Captain?"  
"Yes, Mage. I will send others, but the wounded need to be tended."  
"I'll see to them. Just send as many able bodied soldiers as you can. They must be found."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Spike!" exhaled Dawn, "I can't keep going like this. I have to stop." They were syill galloping as fast as their mounts could carry them towards the dense mist, their disguises gone.  
"Just hold on a minute longer, Little Bit!" he shouted back. "Almost there!" Their pursuers hadn't become any less determined. Running wouldn't work. "Now, Niblet," said Spike as they entered the MistWall. They dismounted. "Stay close to me, Dawn," he whispered, "and don't make a sound."  
  
The riders halted. "They rode into the MistWall!" muttered one amazed Ankylan.  
"Then they are as good as dead," said another. "Nothing leaves the MistWall. Let's go." They turned around and left at a canter, sparing the animals.  
"Spike," said Dawn, but he quickly put his hand around her mouth and whispered,  
"Not yet, Niblet." They were silent.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"The Brairto awakens, Blue Mage," said a soldier to the Mage. He motioned for a soldier to lead him to her. The Brairto was standing, groggily shaking her head. Several soldiers guarded her.  
"What is your name?" asked the Mage. The Brairto responded in an outraged tone.  
"How dare you attack us? We serve Lord General Ver-Tal. Take us all to Colonel Sash immediately!"  
"Ver-Tal?" asked the Mage. He seemed to decide something. The Brairto made a swinging movement of her arm, bringing several the guards to level their weapons at her. She looked confused. "I have sealed your magics," said the Mage. "I am aware that the Brairto possessed many abilities outside of 'The Power Of The Wish'. I suspect that the seal shall be released in due time, but we shall see. Guards," he said to the soldiers, "stand down." They sheathed their weapons He left, before the stunned Brairto could ask anymore questions.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Captain, have your men returned, yet?" Dricoi was looking over a ridge, and indicated the Blue Mage should do likewise.  
"They come, now, Mage," answered Dricoi. Saluting, fist on heart, Dricoi addressed the sergeant. "Report, sergeant."  
"The other two are dead, Captain."  
"What?" shouted the fuming Mage. "I told you not to harm them!" The sergeant quickly said nervously.  
"We did not, Mage. They entered the MistWall, sealing their own fate. We could not stop them." The Mage turned to Dricoi.  
"Captain, have your men patrol the MistWall as far along its edge as you are able, searching for two Vantals."  
"Mage," began a shocked Dricoi, "they have entered the MistWall."  
"And they will leave it," said the Mage with finality."Do as I say. I believe these are who I seek." Dricoi seemed confused.  
"Vantals, Mage? They appeared Ankylan to me." The Mage nodded,  
"I know, Captain. It was an illusion cast by the Brairto. Give the order to patrol as far as Buntine Springs if necessary." Dricoi gave the orders to his sergeants, who shifted at the mention of two Vantals, who must be recovered alive. He instructed that no less than forty soldiers were ever to be together.  
"Captain," said a sergeant, "groups that numerous will be very conspicuous. We would be inviting attack from the forces at Chaono Lane."  
"Don't be concerned, sergeant," replied Dricoi. "There will be little activity from Chaono Lake. Now go," he ordered.  
  
"Mage," began Dricoi, "you said that you now believe these to be those you seek. Why?"  
"The Brairto, Captain. She told me she served General Ver- Tal," answered the Mage.  
"That is true, Mage. The Chaos General we have captured is Ver- Tal of Metash. The Blue Mage shook his hooded head.  
"I know it for a fact that Ver-Tal of Metash was over two thousand miles away in northern Modalstiar, when I left Arth Demm. No, Captain Dricoi, this is not Ver-Tal.  
"Then who, Mage?" he asked incredulously. "Why would a Chaos General lie about who he was?"  
"Because he is not a Chaos General," answered the Mage as he walked toward the comatose, antlered giant.  
"Another illusion? But you have sealed the Braito's powers, and I have seen this one in battle, Mage. He displayed the strength and ferocity of a Chaos General, and the abilities of Deetai's chosen," stated the puzzled captain.  
"I believe you, Captain. But I have a question; what colour are a Chaos General's eyes?" Dricoi frowned and thought for a moment.  
"Violet, I believe, Blue Mage."  
"You're correct, Captain," he replied as he knelt beside the giant. He reached and pulled open one of his eyelids.  
"Silver!" blurted Dricoi stunned. "I – I never noticed."  
"Few would, and even if you did, who would dare question a Chaos General?"  
"Then what...?"  
"I believe him to be a Lustre Warrior; a long extinct race resembling the Chaos Soldiers, but infinitely more powerful. Aside from each other, they were the gods' greatest enemies, refusing alliance with any but themselves. They were finally annihilated by Glorificus long ago. It is by somehow utilising their form as a template that Deetai molds his chosen Chaos Soldiers into the bastardised Chaos Generals."  
"It was you who incapacitated him after I knocked him from his saddle, wasn't it?" The Mage nodded, smiling. "I knew that two hits from a hilt wouldn't keep his like down. But we were supposed to have the Gold Mage from Pritoh here to cage him. It is very fortunate that you were here, for I doubt that a Gold Mage could have stopped a dread."  
"An astute observation," said the Mage. "I met with the Gold Mage en route here, and I sent him back to Pritoh." He looked around. "Order your men, Captain. We must be going." 


	9. A Vantal's Wrath

Chapter 8: A Vantal's Wrath  
  
Anya rode next to the wagon that held the comatose Xander and Willow. She hadn't seen Spike or Dawn since the ambush. If only she could use her powers, she could free Xander and Willow and escape. But now she was of so little threat that only two rider behind her guarded her. Up ahead she could Dricoi conversing with the Blue Mage. "Hey you," she called. They turned on their saddles. "Yeah, you. The Blue Mage guy with the Harry Potter coat." Dricoi and the Mage rode back to her. "Just what do you think you're doing?" demanded Anya of Dricoi. "You're supposed to obey your superiors, not attack them."  
"I am sorry for the deception," apologised Dricoi, "I believed your companion to be a Chaos General. I do not worship the Ghresinac-Tach, Deetai."  
"Then you worship Est" – she began. "What are you talking about, 'believed'?"  
"You may cease your pretence, Brairto," said the Mage, "I do no believe you worship Deetai."  
"My friends," said Anya, "what did you do to them?"  
"Your large friend shall sleep until we reach Arth Demm. The small one is unharmed. She will awake in a day or so." At this a glimmer of hope came into Anya's eye, but the Mage said, "I know she is a Dread. She is sealed and powerless in her current form." Anya ground her teeth together. If Willow had woken with her powers, she could easily have gotten them out of this situation."  
  
"You still haven't answered my question," she said. "Just what do you think you're doing?" The Mage spoke,  
"As I have said Brairto – may I ask your name?"  
"Halfrek," Anya lied. "What's yours?"  
"What? My name?" The Mage seemed very surprised by the question. "Yes, that would be refreshing. My name is Cernus. What's yours?"  
"I told you, 'Halfrek'," Anya said tartly.  
"No," said Cernus smiling, "your real name." For the first time Anya caught a glimpse of his face beneath his hood, and saw that he was a Lister demon; a generally weak and powerless demon. Realising the question she had been asked, she said,  
"But – how?" He smiled again, almost mischievously. "Anya," she said unhappily.  
"Well, Anya," said the Mage, "as I have said, we are going to Arth Demm."  
"Where's that?" It hadn't been on the map they had taken from Sash Fortress.  
"Oh, a few hundred miles east over the Seshni Plains, beyond the Scar of Glorificus, across the Sea of Ka'ad, up the Arth River through the Ash Mountains, and there you are." Cernus laughed. "Not the answer you had been hoped for, I would guess? I see from your reactions that you are not too familiar with most of those places."  
  
Realising that they hadn't mentioned Dawn or Spike, Anya asked, "Where are my other friends?"  
"Not with us," answered Cernus shaking his head.  
"They escaped into the MistWall," said Dricoi, "I have riders patrolling its edge awaiting them. They won't be harmed. If they are found soon, they may be brought to Pritoh before we leave. We shall reach there tomorrow night," he finished.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"They're gone," muttered Spike. "Come on, if we hurry, we can find their trail. We'll just have to hide in the mist every time one of those bloody patrols shows up." Spike and Dawn had hidden within the MistWall, and as before, the Mist gave way for Dawn. Spike was referring to the trail of Willow and the others' captors. "Red had the map," said Spike, "but I remember if we head east a little bit, we'll be heading into the Seshni Plains.  
"Spike, what if...?" Dawn left the question unfinished.  
"Don't worry, Niblet," he said reassuringly touching her shoulder, "they can take care of themselves." He scanned the area around them. "We're past where the bastards ambushed us. Must have been Estyarth's soldiers. Guess that pillock Dricoi was an inside man for 'em. Can't wait to get my hands on that bastard."  
"Spike," said Dawn quickly, "this is the way Buffy went."  
"Great. We can kill two birds with one stone, Niblet."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They rode east for two hours, once having to conceal themselves in the MistWall to avoid discovery. They had in Spike's estimation rode perilously far from the MistWall in order to locate Dricoi's band's tracks. "We know which way they headed," said Spike, "lets get back to the mist, just in case." Dawn didn't answer. "Dawn?" he asked, when he heard shouting from over his shoulder. He rode up a nearby ridge to see eleven Ankylans riding for their lives from over thirty Chaos Soldiers, and they were rapidly growing closer. He rode back down the ridge; the sound of hoof beats loud in his ears. "Dawn," he said, "we have to get away from here." She was silent. The hoof beats were getting louder, right behind the ridge. "Dawn!" he shouted, still not earning a response. He moved his krus in front of hers, to take the reins, and saw her face was tearstained. He turned as the Ankylans, obviously Seshni, approached, taking Dawn's reins. He heard a thud. Dawn had fallen from her mount, and lay curled up on the rocky ground, almost in the foetal position. He dismounted in a flash, and moved to pick her up when he was struck in the back by an arrow. The Ankylans had now passed, and their pursuers were on the ridge. The Chaos Soldier who had apparently loosed the arrow was struck by another, who shouted something while pointing at Spike. Ignoring the pain, he easily hoisted Dawn in his arms and ran for his krus, bounding onto the saddle and moving within a moment. He rode for the MistWall.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"You idiot, Kryda!" bellowed Rahsoh. "Those are Vantals and you could've killed one of them! If they die, Lord Mart-Jik will have our heads on pikes and our entrails feeding the aeraichs before sunset."  
"If I can't shoot them, how am I supposed to stop them?" asked the archer.  
"Be creative! They are heading toward the MistWall, and one seems already injured. We will take them if we stop them in time."  
"What of the Seshni, sergeant?" asked a soldier.  
"Forget them!" he shouted back. "Those Vantals are our priority."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dawn was crying in Spike's arms as he willed his animal to run faster, as their pursuers were gaining ground on them. "Dawn, what's wrong?" he near grunted, pushing for speed. The MistWall was only a few hundred yards away.  
  
"Buffy," whispered Dawn. "That was where she died." Spike hadn't time to react as his animal went down with an arrow in its side. They were propelled forward. Spike clung tightly to Dawn as they were flung through the air, turning and bearing the heavy impact of landing.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Good thinking," complimented Rahsoh to Kryda. Both Vantals were down. He thanked Deetai they hadn't reached the Wall, or he may as well have followed them in for all his life would be worth. "I think they're both out," he exclaimed. "Quickly, get the chains and," – he stopped mid- sentence as the larger Vantal stood up, seemingly unfazed. The smaller one lay still on the ground. A cold chill of terror ran down his spine as the black-clad Vantal locked eyes with Rahsoh. As the thing discarded its sabre, he saw its blue and black eyes transform to red and gold as it leapt at him. Rahsoh screamed, but stopped when his own blood fountained from his throat, as everything went black.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The Vantal tore through the troops with clinical deadliness as Kryda and the other archers loosed blunt arrows at it; arrows with heavy metal balls that served as a tip. But the creature simply ignored the bone crushing hits, slicing; decapitating with ruthless accuracy. It only seemed to halt in its plan of slaughter when the little Vantal was threatened. Kryda was a veteran of warfare. He had seen more Vantals than most, but none had ever behaved as this did. It displayed no bloodlust, no glorying in the kill; just terrifying efficiency in death. Kryda shot another blunt arrow, striking the Vantal on the shoulder. It continued unaffected, skewering the other sergeant's head on its crests, even as it tore out the throat of another soldier. It was at this point that Kryda knew he was going to die. Leaving surely result in death as much as staying, so why not die a soldier's death? He loosed a real arrow, its metal head taking the Vantal in the heart. It responded by killing another soldier. Kryda noticed that not a single krus was harmed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
{Fifteen more,} thought Spike lucidly. He had not given into bloodlust this time. Buffy... What Dawn said had sent Spike into a numbed state of detachment. {Thirteen more} he thought emotionlessly, as he was run through with a rapier from behind. He reacted. {Twelve more.}  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Having accepted death, Kryda almost admired the Vantal's parsimonious use of motion in the slaughter of thirty of his comrades. He was grinning as he loosed another arrow. Turning his head to hear the sudden sound of hoof beats over desperate screaming, Kryda saw reinforcements. They were coming over a hill they had passed when chasing the Vantals. Just ten riders. {No,} he thought, {eleven.} Among the riders, atop a vast war-krus, white cloak flapping in the wind, greatsword in hand, sat the monstrous black figure, of which Kryda knew to be the greatest of the Chaos Generals; Lord- General Mart-Jik; Lord of Jikest; Prince of the Claw Lakes and Supreme Commander of the Legions of Deetai. Kryda fired an arrow into the Vantal, taking it in the hip as the reinforcements set upon it. Three were dead, a fourth dying by the time he had another arrow nocked.  
  
The huge Chaos General charged the lithe Vantal with his greatsword extended. The scarlet and gold beast flew through the air knocking Mary- Jik's sword away with one clawed hand, slicing at the general's throat with the other. Mart'Jik fell and rolled from his mount, and was quickly up, having being saved by his Skin Armour. He looked up to see the Vantal was already bounding toward him. Suddenly Mart-Jik willed his sword to him. It flew through the air, even as the Vantal did, and shot into his coven grasp as the beast was almost on him. The General levelled the blade, and his own enormous strength combined with the Vantal's own momentum skewered the creature through its chest. Its back exploded in blood even as it struck at Mart-Jik's armoured neck. Six feet of steel was protruding from its back, yet the Vantal refused to even slow in its relentless onslaught.  
  
The Chaos General released his grip from the two-foot long hilt, and grabbed the Vantal's head as it continued to slash at his weakening armour. Gripping with all his might, the eleven-foot tall Mart-Jik felt incredible pain as the Vantal drove its dagger-like claw into his violet eye. With an inhuman wrench, the giant suddenly twisted the beast's head ninety degrees, snapping its neck with an audible crack. Mart-Jik grabbed his sword as the Vantal fell limp. Breathing heavily with exertion, he removed his Skin Armour, and placed his cloven foot on the beast's torso, readying to pull his blade free of his defeated enemy. It opened its eyes. Mart-Jik gasped as it drove its elbow blade directly into his unprotected throat. The Chaos General's hands spasmodically jerked, lifting the mighty weapon and the Vantal from the ground, as the beast continued to inexorably push the blade deeper, gushing blood covering them both. Slowly, with a horrible gurgle, The Lord of Jikest; Prince of the Claw Lakes; Supreme Commander of the Chaos Legions and Greatest of the Chaos Generals, collapsed dead on the dusty trail. The Vantal painfully pulled itself free of the gargantuan sword, and assumed its other face. It took a step, then another. Then dropped to the ground, as a single archer sat atop his mount, chuckling to himself, his sanity lost.  
  
Over a thousand miles away , in the place called Deetai's Eye, a god roared in frenzied rage. 


	10. Silver Eyes

Chapter 9: Silver Eyes  
  
A high wall enveloped their destination, adding to the smoke's effect of obscuring the dull grey sky. Pritoh was actually a fortress; the garrisons outnumbering the non-military inhabitants. There were smiths and inns, but few other places of commerce. A group of thirty soldiers escorted their group of twenty to the keep, also walled, near the centre of the pseudo town.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
A pair of talkative guards escorted her down a bleak hall. One was boasting about some encounter he'd had in Mesu. "Listen Buckdan," said the slightly shorter one, "you might be handy with a sabre, but there is no way you took out ten Chaos Soldiers, alone, and unmounted."  
"Ah Davace," replied the boasting Ankylan, "you just don't realise just how handy I am with a sabre. Plus, I killed the last three barehanded. Do you know how hard it is to get close enough to break their necks with those damn antlers?"  
"I suppose they were also led by a Chaos General," said the other shaking his head, while opening a door for Anya, saying, "Your quarters," indicating the room. She entered the utilitarian quarters and heard the one called Buckdan respond to the pale one,  
"No, but they were under direct orders from General Mart-Jik, himself. Afraid to face me himself, was the bastard." The second guard closed the door while raising his eyes to the heavens.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Trying to sit on her cot to settle herself, Anya pondered means of escape. There was only on narrow window, eight inches wide and two feet high, so that option was dead in the water. The only door was the one through which she had entered, and those two soldiers would undoubtedly be guarding it until relieved by others. There was a torch holder in the lighted room. If she could pry it from the wall she might be able to knock out one of them with that. Then what? Even if she could somehow take out both guards, she didn't know the layout of the building, which was quite a large one. Xander and Willow would undoubtedly be guarded, and Cernus might even be with them. Without her powers, she had no way of disguising herself. Her build was certainly not Ankylan. And even if she were to somehow escape Pritoh, what was she to do? Miraculously track down Dawn and Spike, and then fight a whole garrison to rescue a comatose Xander and Willow? Assuming Spike and Dawn had not already been captured, or worse. It was all so hopeless!  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
An hour or so later, the door opened and the talkative Ankylan entered with a steaming bowl of broth, and some bread and cheese. "Enjoy that, missy," he said smiling. "Its great stuff. Got the cook to add in some extra spices just for you," he added with a wink as he set down the food on a stool.  
"By Estyarth!" swore the other from the doorway. "You're married, Buckdan. Leave her be." Spreading his arms, Buckdan replied in pained tones,  
"Always have to take the fun out of my life, don't you?" For the first time since the ambush, Anya almost smiled.  
  
Her powers neutralised, Anya felt an urge to eat. It was during this that the door opened again twenty minutes later. Instead of a guard, in walked the weary form of Willow. "Willow!" exclaimed Anya, rising and hugging her. Over Willow's shoulder she could see the guard named Davace smirk, as Buckdan watched the embrace disappointedly. When the door closed, Anya asked, "Willow, are you okay? Did you see Xander, is he okay?  
"I'm alright," answered Willow tiredly, seeking a place to sit. Anya led her to the second cot. "What happened?"  
"You don't remember?" asked Anya. Willow briefly shook her head. "We were ambushed by Estyarth's troops. It turns out Dricoi was like undercover or something. He's actually a Seshni Captain. So there we were, and Xander was talking to this sergeant guy, when that creep Dricoi whacks him right in the face." Willow's eyes widened. "Then everything went nuts. I tried to help Xander, and Dawn and Spike rode away, and everybody was shouting, and suddenly there were soldiers everywhere. Then one of the hit me! The next thing I know, this Cernus guy has locked my powers, and they bring us here."  
  
"How long?" asked Willow.  
"You've been out for three days," answered Anya.  
"Cernus," began Willow, "who's he?"  
"Some kind of really powerful wizard-warlock guy, which is weird, because he's just a Lister Demon," Anya added almost to herself. "They all call him 'Blue Mage'."  
"Where are Dawn and Spike, now?" Anya shook her head and raised her hands. "Why don't I remember?" asked inwardly.  
"Because I purged your memories," said the hooded Cernus from the doorway. Anya hadn't heard the door open.  
"Cernus?" asked Willow. He nodded, grinning beneath his hood, and said,  
"Delighted to meet you."  
"My memory," said Willow hotly, "why did you – why?" The Mage's smile faded, his tone becoming serious.  
"Trust me, 'Willow', yes? You do not want those memories. There was an odd curse on you, but I succeeded in eliminating them."  
"Why? Tell me?" Willow was adamant. Cernus sighed and looked around.  
"Let's go to my quarters. These are uncomfortably confined."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The two guards accompanied them to the Mage's quarters, remaining outside. Closing the door, Cernus pulled down his hood for the first time, revealing his short cropped grey hair. {Hmmm,} pondered Anya. {For a Lister demon to have grey hair, he must be at least a century old}. Breathing deeply, he began,  
"My dear, when Anya and your large friend were incapacitated, you yourself were thrown from your saddle. Your instinctive reaction to this danger was to resume your true form as a dread." He looked up. "In your dazed and angered state, your instincts took control and your performed some vile acts. The memory of such actions would not trouble a soulless dread, but I sensed a soul within you. They would have driven you insane." He chuckled, but there was no mirth in it, just dryness. "How odd, to find a soul in a being that takes the forms of the two soulless creatures of Ri'Oth."  
  
"Where are the rest of my friends?" asked Willow.  
"Your large friend is sleeping in the room adjacent to this one," he answered. Before he could continue, Anya demanded,  
"I want to see him." Cernus nodded, and led them to the adjoining room. On the floor laid the quietly breathing form of Xander, a faint blue aura surrounding his huge body.  
"What did you do to him?" asked Willow heatedly. The Mage raised his hand.  
"Don't worry, Willow. I just put him into a deep sleep, close to hibernation. He'll wake up once we reach Arth Demm.  
"Arth Demm?" repeated Willow.  
"Their capital," supplied the kneeling Anya, stroking Xander's forehead.  
"Where are Dawn and Spike?" asked Willow no loess heatedly.  
"Hopefully," replied the Mage, "on their way here. They escaped the ambush. I must admit that it could have gone better... Dawn and Spike..." he mused.  
"Oh really?" replied Anya, biting off her words, "you're a real Aaron Williams, aren't you?"  
"Who?" whispered Willow.  
"Just some guy I cursed for being stupid. I'll tell you about it later," she whispered back.  
  
"What do you want from us?" asked Willow. Anya folded her arms and said discontentedly,  
"I keep asking him that, but he won't tell me."  
"Because I didn't want to explain it twice," grinned Cernus. "Very well. Nearly twenty days ago, my god sensed the arrival of something of enormous power, into the MistWall. The very fact that you were able to leave the MistWall is proof of that. I was dispatched to bring who or whatever it was that was the source of that power back to Arth Demm." Rubbing his forehead ridge, he said, "I am greatly looking forward to meeting the other two, 'Dawn' and 'Spike'. It will be interesting to see if they are as powerful as you are. It is not everyday that one encounters two members of supposedly extinct races, and a Dread with a soul, travelling together.  
  
"Undoubtedly, Deetai has now also sensed this, and will be striving to acquire possession of you all."  
"So now, Dawn and Spike have two sides after them?" Cernus nodded to Willow.  
"But without me, they have no way to disguise themselves," pointed out Anya concernedly.  
"Hey," said the redhead, "why does Deetai only now sense our presence? Why not earlier, like your god?" He touched his thumbs as he answered,  
"My god has certain advantages in the area in which you arrived."  
"The MistWall?" asked Anya.  
"Yes," he said, "because it is a creation of my god, Deetai's senses are blurred and obscure when trying to search around that area. Much as Estyarth's and Deetai's senses were blurred in millennia past when attempting to sense activity near the Scar of Glorificus." Willow's eyebrows rose.  
"The Scar of Glorificus?"she near exclaimed.  
"Yeah," said Anya, "you mentioned something about a 'Scar', before. What's the deal with the name?"  
"The Scar is the largest mountain range in the world. You will soon be able to view the smaller southern peaks. They were created five thousand years ago.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Estyarth and Deetai both gathered their hordes, each far outnumbering Glorificus' forces. Each god believed that the victor of their battle would easily sweep aside her minions once the Great Battle was concluded.. The assembled armies numbered in the millions when they met upon the great plains of Ka'ad and Sohr. As the titanic battle commenced, each god levelled his complete will at the other. It was at that exact moment when Glorificus struck. Unchallenged, she willed the very ground of the battlefield to rise upon the great hordes, creating the mountains of today, and in the process split Ka'ad in two and destroyed Sohr, decimating the gods' forces and annihilating hundreds of thousands and more again in the aftermath. It was the second greatest act of power ever performed by Glorificus..  
  
"The Scar now stretches for thousands of miles to the north. Only a fifty mile gap now exists between those southernmost peaks and the mountains of the Seshni Waste to the south. It is there, at the city of the Four Points, where we will take ship for Arth Demm."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dawn rode, vaguely thinking of how amazed she should be that Spike's hideous wounds had healed overnight. He told her that it had once taken a month for him to heal a crushed spine and legs on Earth. It appeared Vantal healing far outpaced vampiric healing. Dawn didn't really care much. She didn't really care when she woke after being knocked unconscious to find a bloody Spike laying next to the massive corpse of a Chaos General, surrounded by dozens of dead bodies. She didn't really care when she saw a mounted Chaos Soldier just sitting there, giggling to himself, who made no reaction to Dawn aiding Spike and the two leaving with krus. She just didn't care. Buffy was dead; truly dead, and all hope died with that realization.  
  
It was the second day since Spike massacred the soldiers. They followed Dricoi's trail, and from Spike's recollection of the map, they had passed into the Seshni Plains. Their quest was now to find Willow, Xander and Anya. Even if it meant being captured by the Seshni. Willow had told her that as long as they were all close to Dawn, she could bring the group home. With no further need to remain hidden, they rode as close to Dricoi's trail as they could, several miles from the MistWall.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
It was early in the same day when Spike heard rapid hoof beats from behind. Halting their mounts to allow themselves to be captured, they turned. "Bollox!" swore Spike. "Those are Chaos demons. Hurry, Dawn!" They turned and fled deeper into Seshni, hoping to come upon a Seshni patrol or camp. They encountered none. The thirty Chaos Soldiers were outpacing them, near killing their animals. Spike saw that among them, wearing a long white cloak, rode the monstrous dark skinned figure of another Chaos General.  
  
"Its no good, Niblet!" shouted Spike to Dawn. "We'll kill the bloody things at this pace," he said, referring to the krus. Ride on a few hundred yards, Bit. There's less than before. I'll take 'em. Just stay out of harm's way!" Taking their third animal in tow, Dawn rode ahead as Spike told her to. He jumped from his mount. The riders reached him in moments, but to his puzzlement didn't attack. Spike saw the Chaos General utter a word to a bright-cloaked officer, with long flowing red hair., and was dismounting. He walked unarmoured towards Spike, in huge, effortless strides. He stopped, thirty feet between them. Quiet enough so only Spike could hear, he announced,  
"The Vantal who slaughtered forty Chaos Soldiers and killed little Mart-Jik." It was not a question.  
"And I'm about to do it again, you bastard," said Spike to himself as blue eyes became scarlet and gold. The Vantal leaped with amazing swiftness.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Why don't you wake up Xander?" asked Anya, when they had returned to Cernus' room. He cocked an eyebrow at the question. "Okay, okay," she said, "why don't you wake him up and seal his powers like you did us?"  
"I'd like to," said the Mage, "but regrettably, that skin- shield of his repels mystical, as well as physical attack. If I did, there wouldn't be a whole lot I could do if he put on that armour of his and decided that the three of you should go on a killing spree, not that I believe you would," he pointed out, "leave Pritoh, and go into hostile territory looking for your friends. I admit to being fortunate Captain Dricoi fazed him before I tried to subdue him."  
"Dricoi!" growled Willow. "Where is he?"  
"You must be calm, Willow. Dricoi only behaved as he did because he believed you agents of Deetai, and your friend Xander to be a Chaos General." Willow and Anya still did not seem satisfied.  
"Well, that's no excuse for-", Willow stopped. "What do you mean, he believed Xander to be a Chaos General?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The huge muscled arm blurred through the air, and the airborne Vantal was caught in mid leap, suspended high above the earth. With a gesture, Spike's body was delivered to the slick-skinned General. He thrashed vainly to free himself from the cloven vice. The white-cloaked juggernaught spoke quietly. "You may have bested a Chaos General. But to even hope to challenge me?" Silver eyes regarded the struggling Vantal. "I think not."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"A Lustre Warrior?" asked Anya. "I've never heard of them."  
"Its unlikely that you would have," replied Cernus. "They were native only to Ri'Oth, and served no god. The threat they posed was so great that at the paragon of her glory, Glorificus threw all of her will into destroying the Lustre Warriors; all of them. It was the most devastating release of destructive energy that ever has and probably ever will happen on Ri'Oth."  
"They were that much of a threat?" asked an amazed Willow.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
He flung the Vantal to the ground, as he turned back to his mount. He remounted in silence as his Lieutenant said, "Take it, and the other." He was moving away when he opened his hand. He gave the Vantal's throat the briefest of glances before frowning deeply. He threw it to the dust.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Indeed, they were," answered Cernus. It is ironic that Glorificus' greatest display of power led to her downfall. She had underestimated the resolve of the Lustre Warriors, and she needed to exert more will than she ever imagined. The effort drained her, and while she would have recovered to full strength in time, Deetai and Estyarth quickly formed an alliance. Knowing that even then, together they could not vanquish her, they used their combined wills to banish her to another dimension, imprisoning her in a mortal coil. After Estyarth had instructed his followers in that world never to suffer Glorificus to return to this place, they sealed all the trans-dimensional gates into Ri'Oth." 


	11. Manichaeist Verities

Chapter 10: Manichaeist Verities  
  
The soldiers' heavy cloven steps gave rise to minute dust clouds, invisible in the dim of dusk, but bringing the bruised prisoner to a fit of coughing, as he was lead before the antlered, crimson haired lieutenant. Without changing his posture, the gravel-voiced officer asked the restrained Seshni, "How many were in the party taken at Pantate Hills?" The Ankylan gestured at the two large guards that each held him in a hammerlock. With a flicker of a cloven finger, the soldiers released their grip, and stepped back.  
  
Patting the dust and dirt from his shoulders and chest, the well-muscled prisoner began, "Well, as far as I can recall," before springing bodily for the lieutenant. Blate made no move to stop the Ankylan as he grabbed at one the falchions at his hip, and pulled it from its sheathe in one fluid motion. The two Chaos Soldiers were spectators as their lieutenant unsheathed and raised his second falchion to divert the attack of the prisoner. His right arm free, Blate parried with his blade, and fed his right hand to the Ankylan, who slashed a line of blood across his exposed palm. This seemed a signal of some sort, as Blate backhanded the prisoner with his wounded hand, sending him reeling into the grasp of one of the large soldiers. The other made to disarm him, his task a redundant one as the two soldiers realised that both blades were now, or still, sheathed, and untarnished, at the lieutenant's side, his white garb immaculate. Despite the force of the blow, the Seshni had only suffered a bloodied lip, and did not appear disorientated when Blate approached him. Studying his right hand as he made a fist, he asked, seemingly disinterested,  
"How many were in the party taken at Pantate Hills?"  
"Five," answered the prisoner without hesitation. "Two of their number escaped..."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Anya, stop pouting," demanded Willow. "Xander's here, but who knows what's happened to Dawn and Spike?"  
"Well, if we could get our powers back, we could wake Xander, and go and look."  
"And how do you suppose we do that?" jabbed Willow irritably. Anya missed the sarcasm, and began,  
"I've been thinking; maybe if we knocked out Cernus, his binding ward would be released and we'd regain our powers. We could, y'know," she made a swinging motion, "'Ke-Pow!' him on the back of the skull. It might squash his brain or something."  
"Nope," volunteered the Mage entering the room; they never seemed to hear him, "neither my unconsciousness, or even my death would break the seal I've placed over you."  
"What if we took you hostage and forced you to release it?" questioned Anya brazenly. Shaking his head, he answered with a grin,  
"Nope, that wouldn't work either. I couldn't unbind you if I wanted too."  
"What!?" exclaimed Anya, "You wouldn't!" Raising an eyebrow, Willow inquired,  
"Am I missing something here?" Exasperated, Anya explained.  
"He's locked us to a location. Until we reach there, not even that weirdo magician who mumbles all the time could set us free!"  
"That's correct," qualified Cernus. "The binding will not dissipate until you set foot in the Tei Chambers of the Cleric Quarter itself, in Arth Demm."  
"What's so special about this place? Will our powers be negated?" queried Anya. Absently tapping the side of his nose, Cernus replied,  
"Oh no, you're considerable powers and abilities will all be present in full. They will just be of no import." Willow frowned, and Anya looked at him cock-eyed, muttering,  
"No import? What about Xander? Why won't his power matter at these Tei Chambers?"  
"Because, "he answered, his tone still conversational, "that is where our god resides."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I've been tortured by better than the likes of you!" mocked the struggling vantal. "I've been tortured by a bloody god, you amateur!" Spike reeled and coughed up a mouthful of blood. The lieutenant refused to relent, and continued his ministrations to Spike's torso. He screamed. Mumbling, he uttered, "Is that the best you've got, you poncy bastard? I'm surprised," he coughed again, "surprised you didn't get one of your buddies to be the good cop."  
"How many did you original party number?" questioned Blate again. {I like this not. I am no common thug to interrogate and butcher. But, this creature's lack of a soul has proved most inconvenient}. "How many did you original party number?" he asked once more. The vantal caught back a scream, and in a tone of nonchalance that defied sense, answered,  
"Can't really be too sure there, mate. Most of us were on the pleasure cruise, but I've a suspicion a pair of Mexican immigrants tagged along too. I think one was called Pablo." Blate continued unabated.  
  
{The Vantal}, thought Blate as he poured water over his hands, considering Spike, shackled before him in heavy chains, {will complicate matters. A more...unorthodox approach will have to be taken}. He gestured, and the guards pulled the vantal to its feet. He studied the beast with great interest. Never had he seen so restrained a specimen as this. Normally, vantals were put down whenever possible, but now circumstance broke that custom. The vantal regarded him with soulless eyes, and a hollow face that bore no mark of the enormous injury his Master had seen fit to inflict upon the creature. Within that seemingly empty stare, Blate deciphered emotion, emotion wrought of despair, and not anger. {Yes. That's just the thing}. Blate watched its eyes intently as he ordered a soldier to bring him the second vantal. The creature's blue eyes screamed bloody murder at Blate, as the little one was led into the tent, barely able to support the hugely heavy chains that shackled her. When the guard released her, she crumpled in a heap on the dry ground. "Take the other away," he ordered. He began fingering his dirk, "Perhaps THIS vantal will prove more forthcoming."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Aw, crap!" exclaimed Anya.  
"Your god?" repeated Willow incredulously.  
"Indeed," answered Cernus. "I was summoned to him when he sensed your arrival on Ri'Oth. He did not exaggerate how powerful you all are. He very much wants to meet you all."  
"Why?" they asked. His brow furrowed, he answered sardonically,  
"You know, when your god personally gives you a command, you generally don't question it." Winking, he added in softer tones, "But that doesn't mean I haven't. Its not everyday one encounters as strange a group as yours." Tilting his head to the side, he surmised, "I suppose that some or all of you may hold a special interest for him."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So I guess we'll be staying here until you find Dawn and Spike?" asked the Wiccan sometime later. Scratching his ear, Cernus replied,  
"It was that for which I hoped, and as much as I'd like to bring the five of you to Arth Demm together, we cannot delay here too long. Unless your friends are brought here by tomorrow night, they shall miss us, as we are leaving the dawn after. Willow began to protest, but the Mage interrupted her. "I am sorry, Willow. When they are found I've instructed that their escorts hurry to catch up. Have a little faith," he smiled. "We'll find them."  
  
Cernus left soon after. Anya peeked after him, and asked the redhead, "Why are you so eager for them to capture Dawn and Spike?" Willowed, answered,  
"I miss them," while motioning to a piece of parchment on which she was writing. She held it up so that Anya could see it. It read '[I think he has some kind of spell to hear us. If they bring Dawn and Spike here, we can all just jump back to Earth – then return to Ri'Oth but far away from here.]' Anya nodded and winked conspiratorially, then frowned and picked up a quill, writing,  
'[What if they've already gone back?]' on the same piece of parchment. Willow shook her head and wrote,  
'[She still doesn't know exactly what to do. She'll need me to get it right.]'  
'[Oh]', wrote Anya in reply. Willow stared at her, open- mouthed.  
'[You didn't need to write that.]'  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Restrain it!" ordered the burly sergeant with a roar, as the Vantal thrashed and writhed in its chains attempting to reach the small figure. The vast muscles of the Chaos Soldiers rippled beneath their bronze skin as they dragged on the chains restraining the beast. Blate allowed himself a sense of satisfaction. Soulless, or no, this vantal would tell him all he knew. Blate crouched beside the crumpled and crying figure of the little one, and raised his dirk.  
"Nooo!" screamed the vantal in anguish, attempting to make a one last thrust to try to escape the chains. "I'll tell you what you want!" It was pleading with him. "I'll tell you what you want to know!" The lieutenant lowered his weapon.  
  
"Sergeant."  
"Yes, my lord?" replied the sergeant with an honorific that displayed his personal allegiance to the Master General and his House- Battalion. In hushed tones, he replied,  
"See that the little one is unchained, watered and fed." Before the sergeant could form his words of protest, the lieutenant answered, "Vantals do not breath, sergeant. See that this is done." The sergeant saluted, palm out.  
"Your will, my lord."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Cernus," prodded Anya, gaining the Mage's undivided attention, "you pretty much know that we're not from...around here." Cernus nodded, inviting Anya to continue. "The thing is, we were under the impression that Ri'Oth was, well, a hell dimension, y'know, of the unspeakable horror and torment kind?" He nodded again. "Well, it's not exactly Palm Springs, but I've seen far worse places than here...like Detroit." Willow added,  
"Yeah, its not exactly the stereotypical idea of hell here."  
"It was," intoned the Mage. "During the Wars of Divine Ascension, this world was plunged into unspeakable horror and darkness. The gods – they endlessly pitted their power and forces against each other, bringing perpetual death and immutable suffering.  
  
"Ri'Oth as it stands today, was only created eight decades ago, with the raising of the MistWall. Deetai and my god are near perfectly matched in the power of their wills. Neither will dare take direct action, for fear of leaving themselves vulnerable to the other. It is a stalemate of truly global proportions. Because of this, it is the armies of the gods that will decide the eventual conclusion to this beyond ancient saga of Ri'Oth...." He mused to himself, "So small a number, deciding the outcome for all of us..."  
"What?" questioned Willow, "what does that mean?"  
"So many sought dominion over Ri'Oth. So many beings of unimaginable power... a migration of gods. When they first came to this world, they numbered many, Estyarth, among, if not the first. With so many locked in limitless conflict, new gods arose on Ri'Oth, others again arriving from other worlds.  
  
"Millennia ago, three beings emerged, strengthened and hardened by the Wars of Divine Ascension: Estyarth; The Old One, Glorificus; the Glorious, and Deetai, he of power – Warlords all, now WarGods. Few others survived the first centuries of the Triangle Wars."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"What do you want to know you bastard?" asked the caged beast.  
"Tell me, vantal, from where do you come?" 


End file.
